Poem by George Meredith

Empdeocles

I

He leaped. With none to hinder,
Of Aetna's fiery scoriae
In the next vomit-shower, made he
A more peculiar cinder.
And this great Doctor, can it be,
He left no saner recipe
For men at issue with despair?
Admiring, even his poet owns,
While noting his fine lyric tones,
The last of him was heels in air!

II

Comes Reverence, her features
Amazed to see high Wisdom hear,
With glimmer of a faunish leer,
One mock her pride of creatures.
Shall such sad incident degrade
A stature casting sunniest shade?
O Reverence! let Reason swim;
Each life its critic deed reveals;
And him reads Reason at his heels,
If heels in air the last of him! 

1. Modern Love. Sonnet 12. Not Solely that the Future She Destroys
2. Modern Love. Sonnet 24. The Misery is Greater, as I Live!
3. Modern Love. Sonnet 39. She Yields: my Lady in her Noblest Mood
4. On Como
5. Bellerophon

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