ooh-aah, and Micca - of course you're right about the "merely" part, so I re-read my post, and (whew) there's nothing in it to indicate that I wished to convey that Kipling was "merely" a propagandist. I would though like to know where he's widely read these days. I mean, other than amongst Mudcatters. And students of Edwardian imperialist propaganda (;>}...