KIPLING'S LATEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 586, 14 August 1909, Page 9

KIPLING'S LATEST.

\ ■ Mr. Kipling has broken out again. This time it. is a -sixty-line' poem in the London "Morning/Post,"" /entitled / "The City ot Brass," in which ho paints a picture of Britain 7 that nuist r have made John Bull stareand''gasp. / ■/.;' . ' ' . > Ho tells of a people who. Ascribed all- dominion to man, in his factions conferring, And have given to numbers the Name of the: .' Wisdom unerring. . ' '. ■They chose themselves prophets and priests. of minute, understanding, \ : . Men -/swift, .to see. 'done—and: ~ outrun—their i - extremest commanding— / ;Of the tribe .which: describe; with/a jibe the perversions or Justice—, /.' : ; Pandars 'a'vowed to the crowd whatsoever its- . '.. hist is. . ... ;.' .. ... -, , , ' . ■ They said: "Wh'o'has hate in the soul? ..Who •/. has envied,his.neighbour? let. him arise and control both that man and ; his labour." They said: "Who is eaten, by sloth?.- -Whose V - iintbrift, lias destroyed him?, '.' - . ./| levy a tribute from all because none have-employed him." • They said: ."Who has toiled? ; Who, hath ' - striven, 'and gathered possession?; ' / . Let him-bo spoiled. -' He hath'given; full/proof of transgression." ; .. .V'-.,. I '-. . , Airfor '.their lcirismeii. far off, on the skirts ol the nation, . . •• ' ■.■/' They/harried -all; eaTth/tb:;make'sure none V:;';'-v,.escaped reprobation, ' - They - awakened . unrest for a jest,-:in' their -./.. newly-won borders, And' jeered at tlio blood of their brethren ' betrayed by their orders.,". They instructed tho filled to rebel, the ruler to aid them; ' '' '. '• , ' And since- such as obeyed , them not fell, their , '• • Viceroys 'obeyed' them. \ ■ffhen . the riotous set them at naught they said: "Praise tho upheaval! : '' •' • ..For the show, aiid the word and tbo thought of, ' ; , Dominion is evil They, unwound .and/ filing from them with rage, . as a.gag that defiled them. The " imperial £ains> of • tlio age- which - their ;.j ; forerunners' piled them. - • '"'. .They, "ran* panting in- haste to lay -waste 'and embitter for ever . The ,wellsprings of .Wisdom and Strength • i ;• -which are. Taith.and. Endeavour.-. They nosed out and digged up and dragged forth "and exposed to, derision • All//doctrine Vof''■ purpp.se . and ' worth and ■■'- '.rostraint, and'prevision: •-.■ . . -And-' it ceased,/ and God granted.,-them", all i tilings for,-which they had striven; ~ And the heart/of a beast in the. place of a man's heart .was given. / . ... ;

Ultimately Nemesis overtook them

.When ' they.: .were./;fullest' Vof /vino and mosi

llagrant error • . / . - Out - of, : tho ' sea rose a sign, out of Heaven a

terror: ' '//; ' .' ■'vv/.i'---'.V 'Thete was no -need of. a steed nor.-'a lauco ,t(

pursue them ; ; :, '■ -' It decreed their 'own deed, and not chance, , ishoiild-undo them. , ~ v ■ The,tares t.heyiiiad laughingly-sown were rips

to tho reaping, ; /:. ; , ,H The.- trust, they had-, leagued to disown was removed- from their/keeping. '• ■ •Tho'eaters'iif/other men's bread; 1 the exemptet

' ' 1 from hardship, ' - ; r : v : „ . The excusers of impotence fied, abdicating then

. wardship: ■ ~ , ~ For the/hate ..they. /.had.; taught , through thfl' /.State.:ibe-~S,tato--liQIiQV dqfeJider, And it passed',frojn tlio roll of tfielnations jij. ; ■' ; . headlong y/; Ji- j.| |