▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁after ▁seeking ▁treatment ▁for ▁problems ▁with ▁his ▁other ▁leg ▁at ▁Marg ate , ▁he ▁was ▁told ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁require ▁a ▁similar ▁procedure . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁he ▁chose ▁instead ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁Edinburgh ▁to ▁en list ▁the ▁services ▁of ▁the ▁distinguished ▁English ▁sur geon ▁Joseph ▁L ister , ▁who ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁save ▁Hen ley ' s ▁remaining ▁leg ▁after ▁multiple ▁surg ical ▁inter vent ions ▁on ▁the ▁foot . ▁While ▁recover ing ▁in ▁the ▁inf irm ary , ▁he ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁write ▁the ▁vers es ▁that ▁became ▁" Inv ict us ". ▁A ▁memor able ▁ev ocation ▁of ▁Victor ian ▁sto ic ism — the ▁" st iff ▁upper ▁lip " ▁of ▁self - dis cipl ine ▁and ▁fort itude ▁in ▁advers ity , ▁which ▁popular ▁culture ▁rendered ▁into ▁a ▁British ▁character ▁trait — " Inv ict us " ▁remains ▁a ▁cultural ▁touch stone . ▁ ▁S ources ▁The ▁fourth ▁st anza ▁all udes ▁to ▁a ▁phrase ▁from ▁the ▁King ▁James ▁Bible , ▁which ▁has , ▁at ▁Matthew ▁ 7 : 1 4 , ▁ ▁Historical ▁uses ▁▁ ▁In ▁a ▁speech ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ▁par ap hr ased ▁the ▁last ▁two ▁lines ▁of ▁the ▁poem , ▁stating ▁" We ▁are ▁still ▁master s ▁of ▁our ▁fate . ▁We ▁still ▁are ▁capt ains ▁of ▁our ▁sou ls ." ▁Nelson ▁Mand ela , ▁while