Following the Jan Morris meeting, this week's quotations (April 8th to
14th) are all to do with Empire.
1. …And reap his old reward,
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard -
The cry of hosts ye humour
(Ah slowly !) towards the light:-
"Why brought ye us from bondage,
"Our loved Egyptian night ?"
2. No indeed! We are not strong,
But we know Peoples that are.
Yes, and we'll guide them along
To smash and destroy you in War !
We shall be slaves just the same?
Yes, we have always been slaves,
But you - you will die of the shame,
And then we shall dance on your graves !
3. 'Who art thou, seller of dog's flesh … to talk of terms and treaties? Get
hence to the hills - go, and wait there starving, till it shall please the
Government to call thy people out for punishment - children and fools that
ye be ! Count your dead and be still. Rest assured that the Government will
send you a man !
'Ay,' returned Khoda Dad Khan, ' for we also be men.'
As he looked Tallantire between the eyes, he added, 'And by God Sahib, may
thou be that man !'
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The sources of last week's quotations, as a number of people have pointed
out, were:
1. 'The Sing-song of Old Man Kangaroo' from 'Just So Stories'.
2. 'Something of Myself'.
3. 'A Friend of the Family from 'Debits and Credits'.
Good wishes to all, John R
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