The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume I Part 40

Enough! 'tis granted thee! Divert This mortal spirit from his primal source; Him, canst thou seize, thy power exert And lead him on thy downward course, Then stand abash'd, when thou perforce must own, A good man in his darkest aberration, Of the right path is conscious still.

MEPHISTOPHELES

'Tis done! Full soon thou'lt see my exultation; As for my bet no fears I entertain.

And if my end I finally should gain, Excuse my triumphing with all my soul.

Dust he shall eat, ay, and with relish take, As did my cousin, the renowned snake.

THE LORD

Here too thou'rt free to act without control; I ne'er have cherished hate for such as thee.

Of all the spirits who deny, The scoffer is least wearisome to me.

Ever too p.r.o.ne is man activity to s.h.i.+rk, In unconditioned rest he fain would live; Hence this companion purposely I give, Who stirs, excites, and must, as devil, work.

But ye, the genuine sons of heaven, rejoice!

In the full living beauty still rejoice!

May that which works and lives, the ever-growing, In bonds of love enfold you, mercy-fraught, And Seeming's changeful forms, around you flowing, Do ye arrest, in ever-during thought!

_[Heaven closes, the, Archangels disperse.]_

MEPHISTOPHELES _(alone)_

The ancient one I like sometimes to see, And not to break with him am always civil; 'Tis courteous in so great a lord as he, To speak so kindly even to the devil.

FAUST--PART I (1808)[34]

TRANSLATED BY ANNA SWANWICK

NIGHT

_A high vaulted narrow Gothic chamber_.

FAUST, _restless, seated at his desk._

FAUST

I have, alas! Philosophy, Medicine, Jurisprudence too, And to my cost Theology, With ardent labor, studied through.

And here I stand, with all my lore, Poor fool, no wiser than before.

Magister, doctor styled, indeed, Already these ten years I lead, Up, down, across, and to and fro, My pupils by the nose,--and learn, That we in truth can nothing know!

That in my heart like fire doth burn.

'Tis true, I've more cunning than all your dull tribe, Magister and doctor, priest, parson, and scribe; Scruple or doubt comes not to enthrall me, Neither can devil nor h.e.l.l now appal me-- Hence also my heart must all pleasure forego!

I may not pretend aught rightly to know, I may not pretend, through teaching, to find A means to improve or convert mankind.

Then I have neither goods nor treasure, No worldly honor, rank, or pleasure; No dog in such fas.h.i.+on would longer live!

Therefore myself to magic I give, In hope, through spirit-voice and might, Secrets now veiled to bring to light, That I no more, with aching brow, Need speak of what I nothing know; That I the force may recognize That binds creation's inmost energies; Her vital powers, her embryo seeds survey, And fling the trade in empty words away.

O full-orb'd moon, did but thy rays Their last upon mine anguish gaze!

Beside this desk, at dead of night, Oft have I watched to hail thy light: Then, pensive friend! o'er book and scroll, With soothing power, thy radiance stole!

In thy dear light, ah, might I climb, Freely, some mountain height sublime, Round mountain caves with spirits ride, In thy mild haze o'er meadows glide, And, purged from knowledge-fumes, renew My spirit, in thy healing dew!

Woe's me! still prison'd in the gloom Of this abhorr'd and musty room!

Where heaven's dear light itself doth pa.s.s But dimly through the painted gla.s.s!

Hemmed in by book-heaps, piled around, Worm-eaten, hid 'neath dust and mold, Which to the high vault's topmast bound, A smoke-stained paper doth enfold; With boxes round thee piled, and gla.s.s, And many a useless instrument, With old ancestral lumber blent-- This is thy world! a world! alas!

And dost thou ask why heaves thy heart, With tighten'd pressure in thy breast?

Why the dull ache will not depart, By which thy life-pulse is oppress'd?

Instead of nature's living sphere, Created for mankind of old, Brute skeletons surround thee here, And dead men's bones in smoke and mold.

Up! Forth into the distant land!

Is not this book of mystery By Nostradamus' proper hand, An all-sufficient guide? Thou'lt see The courses of the stars unroll'd; When nature doth her thoughts unfold To thee, thy-soul shall rise, and seek Communion high with her to hold, As spirit cloth with spirit speak!

Vain by dull poring to divine The meaning of each hallow'd sign.

Spirits! I feel you hov'ring near; Make answer, if my voice ye hear!

[_He opens the book and perceives the sign of the Macrocosmos_.]

Ah! at this spectacle through every sense, What sudden ecstasy of joy is flowing!

I feel new rapture, hallow'd and intense, Through every nerve and vein with ardor glowing.

Was it a G.o.d who character'd this scroll, The tumult in my-spirit healing, O'er my sad heart with rapture stealing, And by a mystic impulse, to my soul, The powers of nature all around revealing.

Am I a G.o.d? What light intense In these pure symbols do I see Nature exert her vital energy?

Now of the wise man's words I learn the sense; "Unlock'd the spirit-world is lying, Thy sense is shut, thy heart is dead!

Up scholar, lave, with zeal undying, Thine earthly breast in the morning-red!"

[_He contemplates the sign_.]

How all things live and work, and ever blending, Weave one vast whole from Being's ample range!

How powers celestial, rising and descending, Their golden buckets ceaseless interchange!

Their flight on rapture-breathing pinions winging, From heaven to earth their genial influence bringing.

Through the wild sphere their chimes melodious ringing!

A wondrous show! but ah! a show alone!

Where shall I grasp thee, infinite nature, where?

Ye b.r.e.a.s.t.s, ye fountains of all life, whereon Hang heaven and earth, from which the withered heart For solace yearns, ye still impart Your sweet and fostering tides-where are ye-where?

Ye gush, and must I languish in despair?

[_He turns over the leaves of the book impatiently, and perceives the sign of the Earth-spirit_.]

How all unlike the influence of this sign!

Earth-spirit, thou to me art nigher, E'en now my strength is rising higher, E'en now I glow as with new wine; Courage I feel, abroad the world to dare, The woe of earth, the bliss of earth to bear, With storms to wrestle, brave the lightning's glare, And mid the cras.h.i.+ng s.h.i.+pwreck not despair.

Clouds gather over me-- The moon conceals her light-- The lamp is quench'd-- Vapors are arising--Quiv'ring round my head Flash the red beams--Down from the vaulted roof A shuddering horror floats, And seizes me!

I feel it, spirit, prayer-compell'd, 'tis thou Art hovering near!

Unveil thyself!

Ha! How my heart is riven now!

Each sense, with eager palpitation, Is strain'd to catch some new sensation!

I feel my heart surrender'd unto thee!

Thou must! Thou must! Though life should be the fee!

[_He seizes the book, and p.r.o.nounces mysteriously the sign of the spirit. A ruddy flame flashes up; the spirit appears in the flame_.]

SPIRIT

Who calls me?