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119
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
124
“And the fifth Angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from Heaven unto the Earth.
“And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit.
“And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth.
“And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the
Earth, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God
in their foreheads.
“And in those days shall men seek death and shall not find it.
“And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
“And they had a king over them.
“And the four Angels were loosed which were prepared for an hour and
a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”—
Apocalypse ix, 1.
I heard a trumpet sound,
Earth shook, the Heavens were dim,
I saw a falling Star,
Like the moon's eclipsing limb.
And a blood-stained haze
Rushed round its blaze;
But that Star still shone
On a kingless throne.
Earth shook, the Heavens were dim,
I saw a falling Star,
Like the moon's eclipsing limb.
And a blood-stained haze
Rushed round its blaze;
But that Star still shone
On a kingless throne.
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I saw from the Abyss,
Shoot up a thousand fires;
I saw a locust-cloud
Rise on their sulphurous spires.
In his noontide, the Sun
Sank, sickening and dun;
And the smoke wrapped the Globe,
Like a funeral robe.
Shoot up a thousand fires;
I saw a locust-cloud
Rise on their sulphurous spires.
In his noontide, the Sun
Sank, sickening and dun;
And the smoke wrapped the Globe,
Like a funeral robe.
Then, that hell-born locust-host
Rolled onward like a flood;
Yet the harvest-field was safe,
And safe the leafy wood.
Of that plague-cloud wan,
The prey alone was Man;
And the bond and the free
To the locusts bent the knee.
Rolled onward like a flood;
Yet the harvest-field was safe,
And safe the leafy wood.
Of that plague-cloud wan,
The prey alone was Man;
And the bond and the free
To the locusts bent the knee.
There was torment in the land,
The famine and the chain,
And thousands writhed and groaned,
And gnawed their tongues with pain.
And the lovely and brave
Were plunged in the grave;
And in that agony
Thousands prayed to die!
The famine and the chain,
And thousands writhed and groaned,
And gnawed their tongues with pain.
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Were plunged in the grave;
And in that agony
Thousands prayed to die!
Upon the field of battle,
In exile far and lone,
Men perished for the temple,
Men perished for the throne,
Still the locust-cloud
Was a living shroud;
And the locust sting
Slew the serf and the king.
In exile far and lone,
Men perished for the temple,
Men perished for the throne,
Still the locust-cloud
Was a living shroud;
And the locust sting
Slew the serf and the king.
I saw an idol temple!
But there no idol shone,
No golden censer burned
To gods of wood or stone.
To a mortal bowed
The shouting crowd,
And the nation's cry
Was blasphemy
But there no idol shone,
No golden censer burned
To gods of wood or stone.
To a mortal bowed
The shouting crowd,
And the nation's cry
Was blasphemy
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I saw a mighty grave!
But no holy sign was there,
But the corpse of king and slave
Was flung in, without a prayer,
And a pillar stood,
Inscribed in blood,
In that tainted gloom,
“The Eternal Tomb.”
But no holy sign was there,
But the corpse of king and slave
Was flung in, without a prayer,
And a pillar stood,
Inscribed in blood,
In that tainted gloom,
“The Eternal Tomb.”
Then, the trumpet rang again,
And the locusts swept the Earth;
But 'twas now as if her womb
Had teemed with human birth.
They wore the helms of Kings,
And the rushing of their wings
Was like rushing chariot-wheels,
Or the tramp of chargers' heels.
And the locusts swept the Earth;
But 'twas now as if her womb
Had teemed with human birth.
They wore the helms of Kings,
And the rushing of their wings
Was like rushing chariot-wheels,
Or the tramp of chargers' heels.
Above them blazed the banner—
That fiendish, fallen Star;
Above them winged the Eagle,
Scenting his prey afar.
And the clang of their mail
Rang loud on the gale;
And Crown and Tiar
Led their legions to war.
That fiendish, fallen Star;
Above them winged the Eagle,
Scenting his prey afar.
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Rang loud on the gale;
And Crown and Tiar
Led their legions to war.
Their chieftain was a King—
A King of fearful name!
'Tis shouted in the central caves
Of misery and flame.
Abaddon, the Lord
Of the Sceptre and Sword,
Resistless by man.
But his Star shall be wan!
A King of fearful name!
'Tis shouted in the central caves
Of misery and flame.
Abaddon, the Lord
Of the Sceptre and Sword,
Resistless by man.
But his Star shall be wan!
Then the storm of battle raged,
And the Earth was drenched with blood;
And the warrior and his steed
Were the wolf and vulture's food.
And the world stood at gaze
At that battle's red blaze,
Like men on the shore
Of an ocean of gore.
And the Earth was drenched with blood;
And the warrior and his steed
Were the wolf and vulture's food.
And the world stood at gaze
At that battle's red blaze,
Like men on the shore
Of an ocean of gore.
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Once more the trumpet swelled,
But 'twas glorious now and grand;
And a shout of triumph pealed
From the Ocean and the Land.
For on fiery wings
Came the Spirits of kings;
With banners unfurled,
To rescue the World!
But 'twas glorious now and grand;
And a shout of triumph pealed
From the Ocean and the Land.
For on fiery wings
Came the Spirits of kings;
With banners unfurled,
To rescue the World!
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