I am the very model of a modern Major-General, Ive information vegetable, animal, and mineral, I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical, From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical; Im very well acquainted too with matters mathematical, I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical, About binomial theorem Im teeming with a lot o news--- With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. Im very good at integral and differential calculus, I know the scientific names of beings animalculous; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General. I know our mythic history, King Arthurs and Sir Caradocs, I answer hard acrostics, Ive a pretty taste for paradox, I quote in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus, In conics I can floor peculiarities parablous. I can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows and Zoffanies, I know the croaking chorus from the Frogs of Aristophanes, Then I can hum a fugue of which Ive heard the musics din afore, And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore. Then I can write a washing bill in Balylonic cuneiform, And tell you every detail of Caractacuss uniform; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General. In fact, when I know what is meant by mamelon and ravelin, When I can tell at sight a chassepôt rifle from a javelin, When such affairs as sorties and surprises Im more wary at, And when I know precisely what is meant by commissariat, When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery, When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery: In short, when Ive a smattering of elemental strategy, Youll say a better Major-General has never sat a gee--- For my military knowledge, though Im plucky and adventury, Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century; But still in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 16:42:43 +0000
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