I found myself only vaguely interested in the first half of this slim collection of Arnold's verse, disappointing as I'd really enjoyed the first volume, but ... the second half!
"Empedocles on Etna" is a longish poem in dramatic form telling of the philosopher's final night, as supposed, entering into his thoughts on life, humans and the Gods. Empedocles is depressed, world-sick & contemplating suicide by throwing himself into the volcano. Two friends seek in vain to dissuade him, and it seems to me unlikely that Arnold's atheistic (agnostic, at least) sentiments were wholeheartedly embraced during the high Victorian era. Perhaps being placed in the mouth of a pagan, he got away with it.

While others of his poems felt like a slog to get through, "Empedocles" definitely rewarded my time. 5+🌟 for that poem, even if the other poems were no more than 3🌟. ( )