The Story of a Young Soldier

At age 16, he was old enough to join the military. He rose through the ranks quickly, not on merit, but due to the fact that rich families in those days could purchase ranks for their sons. By age 18, he was a lieutenant, a job even his most fawning biographers admit he was, quote, wholly unfitted for. No woman seemed to have interested him in India and he spent a good deal of time composing poems,. We'll read one of his poems later.