1
‘Let us now praise famous men’ –
Men of little showing –
For their work continueth,
And their work continueth,
Broad and deep continueth,
Greater than their knowing!
2
Western wind and open surge
Took us from our mothers –
Flung us on a naked shore
(Twelve bleak houses by the shore.
Seven summers by the shore! )
‘Mid two hundred brothers.
3
There we met with famous men
Set in office o’er us;
And they beat on us with rods –
Faithfully with many rods –
Daily beat us on with rods,
For the love they bore us!
4
Out of Egypt unto Troy –
Over Himalaya –
Far and sure our bands have gone –
Hy-Brazil or Babylon,
Islands of the Southern Run,
And Cities of Cathaia!
5
And we all praise famous men –
Ancients of the College;
For they taught us common sense –
Tried to teach us common sense
Truth and God’s Own Common Sense,
Which is more than knowledge!
6
Each degree of Latitude
Strung about Creation
Seeth one or more of us
(Of one muster each of us),
Diligent in that he does,
Keen in his vocation.
7
This we learned from famous men,
Knowing not its uses,
When they showed, in daily work –
Man must finish off his work –
Right or wrong, his daily work –
And without excuses.
8
Servant of the Staff and chain,
Mine and fuse and grapnel –
Some, before the face of Kings,
Stand before the face of Kings;
Bearing gifts to divers Kings –
Gifts of case and shrapnel.
9
This we learned from famous men
Teaching in our borders,
Who declared it was best,
Safest, easiest, and best –
Expeditious, wise, and best –
To obey your orders.
10
Some beneath the further stars
Bear the greater burden:
Set to serve the lands they rule,
(Save he serve no man may rule ),
Serve and love the lands they rule;
Seeking praise nor guerdon.
11
This we learned from famous men,
Knowing not we learned it.
Only, as the years went by –
Lonely, as the years went by –
Far from help as years went by,
Plainer we discerned it.
12
Wherefore praise we famous men
From whose bays we borrow –
They that put aside To-day –
All the joys of their To-day –
And with toil of their To-day
Bought for us To-morrow!
13
Bless and praise we famous men –
Men of little showing –
For their work continueth,
And their work continueth,
Broad and deep continueth,
Great beyond their knowing!
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