Many Inventions

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made
man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Ecclesiastes vii, 29

z

Rudyard Kipling

New York

D. Appleton & Company

1899

TO THE TRUE ROMANCE.

Thy face is far from this our war

Our call and counter-cry. I shall not find Thee quick and kind,

Nor know Thee till I die. Enough for me in dreams to see

And touch Thy garments' hemThy feet have trod so near to God

I may not follow them.

Through wantonness if men profess

They weary of Thy parts, E'en let them die at blasphemy

And perish with their arts: But we that love, but we that prove

Thine excellence august, While we adore, discover more

Thee perfect, wise, and just.

Since spoken word Man's spirit stirred

Beyond his belly-need,
What is is Thine of fair design

In thought and craft and deed :