Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
George Meredith. 18281909776. Lucifer in Starlight
ON a starr’d night Prince Lucifer uprose. | |
Tired of his dark dominion swung the fiend | |
Above the rolling ball in cloud part screen’d, | |
Where sinners hugg’d their spectre of repose. | |
Poor prey to his hot fit of pride were those. | 5 |
And now upon his western wing he lean’d, | |
Now his huge bulk o’er Afric’s sands careen’d, | |
Now the black planet shadow’d Arctic snows. | |
Soaring through wider zones that prick’d his scars | |
With memory of the old revolt from Awe, | 10 |
He reach’d a middle height, and at the stars, | |
Which are the brain of heaven, he look’d, and sank. | |
Around the ancient track march’d, rank on rank, | |
The army of unalterable law. |