people for pleasure, eternal pleasure
     Tossed him from repulsion to incredulity, and so back
     Two principal roads by which poor sinners come to a conscience
     Utterance of generous and patriotic cries is not sufficient
     We grew accustomed to periods of Irish fever
     We like well whatso we have done good work for
     We trust them or we crush them
     Weak reeds who are easily vanquished and never overcome
     Weak stomach is certainly more carnally virtuous than a full one
     Were I chained, For liberty I would sell liberty
     When we see our veterans tottering to their fall
     When you have done laughing with her, you can laugh at her
     Wins everywhere back a reflection of its own kindliness
     Wits, which are ordinarily less productive than land
     Woman descending from her ideal to the gross reality of man
     Your devotion craves an enormous exchange

THE POETRY OF GEORGE MEREDITH

Contents:  A Reading of Life, and Other Poems Poems, Volume 1.  Poems, Volume 2.  Poems, Volume 3.

A Reading Of life

[This Project Gutenberg Etext was orignally prepared from a 1901 edition by David Price]

Contents: 

     A Reading of Life — The Vital Choice
     A Reading of Life — With The Huntress
     A Reading of Life — With The Persuader
     A Reading of Life — The Test Of Manhood
     The Cageing Of Ares
     The Night-Walk
     The Hueless Love
     Song In The Songless
     Union In Disseverance
     The Burden Of Strength
     The Main Regret
     Alternation
     Hawarden
     At The Close
     Forest History
     A Garden Idyl
     Foresight And Patience
     The Invective Of Achilles
     The Invective of Achilles — V. 225. 
     Marshalling Of The Achaians
     Agamemnon In The Fight
     Paris And Diomedes
     Hypnos On Ida
     Clash In Arms Of The Achaians And Trojans
     The Horses Of Achilles
     The Mares Of The Camargue

     Poem:  A Reading of Life — The vital choice

     I.

     Or shall we run with Artemis
     Or yield the breast to Aphrodite? 
     Both are mighty;
     Both give bliss;
     Each can torture if divided;
     Each claims worship undivided,
     In her wake would have us wallow.

     II.

     Youth must offer on bent knees
     Homage unto one or other;
     Earth, the mother,
     This decrees;
     And unto the pallid Scyther
     Either points us shun we either
     Shun or too devoutly follow.

     Poem:  A Reading of Life — With The Huntress