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2007
Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/faustOOgoet
LONDON
A. C.
Fowler, Tenter
Moorfields, B.C.
1908
Street,
JS.
^
CONTENTS
PAGE
Preface
Dedication
vii
3 5
11
15
.
The Street
Evening
Public
Walk
27 37 46 53 59 68 77 79 83 85
91
93 98 99
103
105 109
Ill
Cathedral
Night
:
Night's
138
141
...
142
Shelley's Translations
...
151
171
LIST
OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
in
the Garden
Frontispiece
5 18
27 32
..
Faust,
Wagner and
36
his
in
Study
40
54 66 70
72
...
...
...
...
...
Faust drinks the Magic Potion ... Faust meets Margaret in the Street
... ...
...
...
...
...
...
... ...
74
76
... ...
...
... ...
...
80
86 98
100
102 106
in
the
Summer House
Cavern
in the
Margaret at the Spinning Wheel Faust and Margaret in Martha's Garden Margaret at the Well Margaret supplicating the Mater Dolorosa Faust and Valentine ... ... ... ...
...
... ... ...
...
108
... ... ... ...
110
114 118
122
The
Witches ascending the Brocken ... ... ... On the Hartz Mountains The Young Witch At Oberon and Titania's Golden Wedding Feast
Faust and Mephistopheles on the
Faust
vigits
...
126
134
...
...
... ...
...
136 140
144 146
Common
... ...
... ...
...
Margaret
in
the
Dungeon
PREFACE
THE
He
sight
play.
of,
first
Goethe's attention
for
the
best thirty years of his hfe, or, as a French writer has happily
expressed
did not
it,
"
was never for long lost every new experience suggesting some development of the The Marionette fable of Faust," says Goethe, " murmured
continuously, but
it
work upon
with
many
voices
in
my
soul.
I,
too,
had wandered
into
every
satisfied
And life, too, I had tried under various and always came back sorrowing and unsatisfied." Goethe took the old legend of Faustus, and without making any considerable alteration, he produced a Mystery play symbolising the higher and lower natures of man. Although the characters are often too subtle,
the play, as
Lewes says
in his
all
minds
charm
of endless variety.
It
wit, pathos,
;
wisdom,
and irony
not a chord
In Faust
;
of the lyre
is
we
problem of our
Faust,
deeds,
intellectual
and,
beside
Goethe's
his
we
will
say some-
legends concerning him which formed the basis not only of Goethe's drama,
himself,
about
Dr.
Faustus
and
the
but
of Christopher Marlowe's " Faustus," Calderon's " El Magico Prodigioso," Klinger's " Faust," and Heine's " Ballet," besides many
PREFACE
The
particulars that are
known
of the
life
of Dr.
Johann
Faust,,
sight
somewhat
that
banal, but
web
as
of
legend
it
envelopes
the
the
far-famed
magician,
is
mythological
The
subject,
apart
from
the
details
preserved of his
life, is
in the history
published
in
This
last
drama, the opera, and the innumerable ballads, dramatic pieces and
and
continue
to
appear on
the
Johann Faust, or Faustus, was born into this world, of parents humble origin, towards the end of the fifteenth century. The known, and the honour of being precise date of his birth is not his birth-place, like that of many other great men, is claimed by more than one town, namely, Kundlingen in Wurtemberg, Anhalt, and Brandenberg, while in the history of his life mentioned above, Rhodes, near Weimar, is assigned as his native place. He studied divinitj^ and obtained a degree of Doctor of Theology, but he grew weary of his religious profession and abandoned it for medicine, soon graduating He then devoted himself to the study of magic as a physician. and astrology, and traded on the credulity of a superstitious age. He was numbered among the friends of Paracelsus and Cornelius The Abbot Agrippa, and he is alluded to by Martin Luther. of Spanheim, Johann Trithemius, a notable scholar of the time, makes mention of meeting at Gelnhausen in May, 1506, one Georgius Sabellicus, who boasted that if all the works of Plato and This Aristotle were destroyed, he could restore them from memory. Sabellicus is supposed to have been Faust, and while he avoided Trithemius, whom he regarded as a cheat, he left a card with him in which he describes himself as a magician and after his own name There are other evidences of an adds that of " Faustus Junior." early sixteenth century Faust, but whether he was the same, or A friend another magician with a similar name, it is not clear. of Melancthon, Conrad Mudt, mentioned a charlatan who in 1513 boasted to him of powers of magic, and called himself Georgius
of
viii
PREFACE
Faustus,
Hemitheus
(demigod)
of
Heidelberg.
And according
to
Johann Mennel's notes of Melancthon's conversation, published in 1562, the Reformer is reported to have said that he knew a man named Faustus of Kundlingen, who studied at Cracow the magic which used to be taught there, and who attended the public lectures that were given on the art. In his wanderings he visited Venice, where he boasted that he would fly, but the devil who helped him to rise, allowed him to fall, so that he almost met with his death. He then relates that not many j'ears before, this same Faustus sat at
the village inn on his last day so deeply troubled that the innkeeper
inquired of him the reason for his mournful mood, as he had formerly
been a very wild fellow. Faust bid him not to be frightened that night. At midnight the house shook, and when in the morning Faust did not appear, the innl<eeper sought him in his chamber, where he found him lying near his bed, with his face horribly contorted. In this way
the devil
is
The date
of Faust's death or
unascertainable, but
he does not
latest
seem
tion
to
1540, although
His reputa-
that
however did not die with him. He soon became the type of all is evil and diabolical he was accredited with every kind of mischievous prank, and he had the unenviable distinction of being
;
notably one by
1585.
Other books containing stories of Faust followed on Mennel's, Wier in 1563, and another by Augustin Lercheimer in
But
in
title
of
Historia von
D. Johann Fausten,
dem
Only
five
The book, which was reprinted with additions and alterations in 1588 and 1589, was apparently written by a minister of the Rsformed Church, with
British
Museum.
It
is
full
as
its
demons and magic, such as were accepted true in the Middle Ages. The story took hold of the public and influence was apparent almost at once in England. Before the
of
1587,
end
"
the
Bishop
Life
Ballad of the
of London, John Aylmer, had licensed and Death of Doctor Faustus the great
ix
PREFACE
Conjuror," and
in
under the
title
of
"The History
of the
Damnable
Life
and Deserved
in
convenient
and translated into English by P. R. Gent, London, 1592." A later edition of this curious book was reprinted in the third volume of Mr. William J. Thom's " Early Prose Romances,"
1828, from which
in
of
his
Wagner.
all
an university of Germany,
Saxony.
is
traced
from
his
birth " in
Province of
Weimar," with an account of his studies in divinity to the day when The he made his compact with Lucifer through Mephistopheles. following is given as a copy of the actual document which Faust wrote with his own blood, assigning his body and soul to Lucifer.
/,
John
to
Faustus, doctor, do
openly
ackiioivlcdge
with
mine
own
hand,
began
to study,
letter,
that since I
of the
elements, I
bring
men
given me me to my desire, and for that I me any farther in the matter ; noxo
front above, any sucJi
have
I,
Doctor Faustus,
Mephistophiles, given
they shall learn me,
both
and
fulfil
my
desires
in
all
they
have
promised and
I'oxced
Farther,
that
at
the
letter,
end of
present
years, be
served
of them at
xi'e
my
icill,
:
they accomplishing
my
desires to
are agreed
power
to
do xvith
be
it
me
me
or mine,
either
blood or goods,
into
their
PREFACE
habitation, be
all the
it
xvheresoex^cr
and hereupon
I defie
God and
Iiis
Christ,
all living
yea, all that live And again I say it, and it shall be so, and to more strengthening of this writing, I have written it with my own hand and blood, being in perfect memory : and hereupon I subscribe to
God
the
it
with
my name and
to
title,
and supreme
powers
witness of this
my
and
subscription,
John Faustus.
Approved in the elements, and
the spiritual doctor.
Then says the book, "Mephistopheles took the writing and* willed it. With that the perverse Faustus being Thus the
spirit
resolute in his damnation, wrote a copy thereof, and gave the devil
keeping "
no doubt there was a virtuous houseThere was, however, another member of this
;
household
who
will
be familiar, though
in
:
The
story says
him, that was his scholar, an unhappy wag, called Christopher Wagner,
to
whom
this sport
and
his
life
that he
saw
his
pleasant.
well,
or better seen
hellish
exercises
and he was
in
that ever
was
like
diligent at
friar,
Faustus's
a
little
command
with
bell in his
Mephistopheles
everything
he
desires,
wine
and
other
delights,
which
Duke
"
of
opened
window what
it
never so dainty
boy went in sumptuous apparel, the which Mephistopheles stole from the mercers at Norenburg." After a time Faust becomes restless, and desires to have proofs
of his companion's supernatural powers, so Mephistopheles not only
gives him a view of Hell, and of the torments of the damned, but
he carries
him
"
through
Heavens
to
see the A
2
PREFACE
whole World, and how the Sky and Planets ruled,"
eight days.
in
the space of
Other journeys are tal<en by Faust and his companion, one in which practically all the then known places of the world are visited, named and described. The author of this strange and entertaining book never fails to introduce his moral either by means
of
in
dialogue
between
Faust
and
of
Mephistopheles, or
Faust's sin
is
by comment,
which the
inevitable
is
result
reiterated.
But
fits
whenever Faust
remorse, he
infernal
is
of
at
once menaced
until
regions,
he
is
forced
give
up any
for
thougiits
of
repentance.
himself
to
Faust to resign
years
are
but
and
he
makes
in
his
servant
Wagner
as
as
To
Wagner Faust
you publish
leaves
his
on condition
he saj^s
all
spirit,
Aberecock,
" that
I
my
I
cunning and
my
many
conceits, with
that
am
dead) in a
history,
will help
and
if
;
thee
The
wailing;
sighing.
last
month
to
flesh fell
of
his
life
Faust
grieving
"talking
himself,
wringing his
hands,
sobbing
and and
His
neither
close;
could
he abide, see or
Mephistopheles
earth
any more."
On
the
last
day that
this
he
who
to
"walk
called
their repast
the which
was ended he requested them to go with him into another room, where he delivered an oration in which he spoke of his near approaching doom, and he then dwelt on the wretchedness of his life, and finally exhorted them to profit by
merriment
it
when
PREFACE
prayed for him, they wept, and so went
in forth.
But Faustus
lain
in
tarried
none of them could sleep, for that they attended to hear if they might be privy of his end. It happened that between twelve and one o'clock of midnight, there blew a mighty storm of wind against the house, as though it would have blown the foundation thereof out of its
;
the hall
bed,
Hereupon the students began to fear, and go out of their beds, but they would not stir out of the chamber, and the host of the house ran out of doors, thinking the house would fall. The students lay near unto the hall wherein Dr. Faustus lay, and they heard a mighty noise and hissing, as if the hall had been full of snakes and adders. With that the hall door flew open wherein Dr. Faustus was. Then he began to cry for help, saying, " Murder, murder " but it was with a half voice, and very hollow. Shortly after they heard him no more. But when it was day, the students, that had taken no rest that night, arose and went into the hall in which they had left Dr. Faustus, where notwithstanding they found
place.
I
all
the
wall,
for
the
another.
In
had beaten him from one wall against in another his teeth, a fearful
to
and pitiful sight to behold. Then began the students weep for him, and sought for his body in many places.
wail
and
Lastly they
came
dung,
his
most monstrously
his joints
and
fearful
behold, for
his
head
that
and
and
they
all
masters
buried
that
much,
him
the
village
where
he
was
grievously
tormented."
it
is
Neuman,
War, when the enemy entered Saxony, a detachment found The commander was Breda, a village on the Elbe. speedily informed by the Magistrate of the village that he was occupying the identical house in which Faust had met his horrible death, and that the walls were still besprinkled with his blood. On
Years'
quarters at
confronting
this
ghastly
evidence,
the
soldiers
stood
for
awhile
Among
its
appearance
in
PREFACE
English was
the
Christopher
year
before
graduated
first
Master
of
Arts
at
Benet
"
College,
Cambridge.
His
not long
probably
its
appearance cannot
is
published eleven years after Marlowe met his death at the age of
twenty-nine
respects
in
tavern
to
brawl. the
tastes
Marlowe's Faustus
of
is
in
some
Englishmen than Goethe's Faust. Charles Lamb preferred it to the German drama, which, however, he only knew through a translation. Marlowe's fine tragedy is, after all, a straightforward piece of work of the conventional type, based on the old German storj'-book, unrelieved with any humour, and without a Marguerite. " What has Margaret to do with Faust?"
suited
more
Lamb, "a scene from Marlowe is worth Goethe's whole play." Certainly in the last scene Marlowe reaches the highest poiut of poetical expression. But Marlowe's " Faustus " will not bear comparison with Goethe's Faust. Whatever view one may take of Lamb's
said
judgment, the
greatness
of Marlowe's
like
tragedy cannot
be
denied.
Marlowe did
not,
however,
him of treating
it
symbolically.
For a hundred and seventy or eighty years after the publication of the famous old history of Dr. Faustus, the legend continued to be kept alive by the appearance of various plays,
in
1587
pantomimes and romances based on the story of the Doctor's life. But by far the most important version of the legend is that Born at Frankfort on the Maine on August 28th, of Goethe. 1749, Johann Wolfgang was the son of Johann Caspar Goethe, an imperial councillor in Frankfort, and Katherine Elizabeth, daughter Goethe's father of Johann Wolfgang Texter, the chief magistrate. was a man of good education, but of a stern and pedantic character. His mother, on the other hand, was of a joyous, affectionate nature, who gained the love of everyone. She was well read in most of she was also witty, shrewd, the best German and Italian authors for a poet's mother. Her illustrious and, in short, the very woman " I and my Wolfgang," son was born when she was only eighteen. she said, " have always held fast to one another, because we were Young Goethe was a precocious child, and both young together."
;
PREFACE
was
especially
quick
in
picking
up languages, for
to
it
is
said
that
before he
Italian,
write
in
German, French,
list a knowledge and Hebrew. In October, 1765, at the age of sixteen, Goethe went to Leipzig to study at the University. After partially abandoning his studies, and giving some attention to art, he entered
of English
1770.
Here, as at Leipzig, he
fell
in
home
first
as Dr. Goethe.
considerable.
The
This
was undoubtedly
to
his
influence
he admits
in
regard
published work,
" Goetz
named
novel,
Gottfried
"
von Berlichingen," the story of an old German hero, surof the Iron Hand. In 1774 was published his
The Sorrows
a certain
utters
of
all
thoughtful
misery,
all
it
men
of
it
paints the
passionately
and
over
to
Europe
which
"
loudly
and
"
once
responded
poet's
This
the
unrest
Werther
was the
response was
outcome
of
The success of the book was enormous, but it did not suggest a remedy it was not until the thunder of the French Revolution had rolled away that any relief was found for the malaise with which the world was suffering. Henceforth Goethe enjoyed universal fame. In Europe generally he was known for many years solely as the author but in Germany, where he was a reality, of this sentimental romance
: ;
his
remarkable intellectual
gifts
Karl
August,
Duke
of
Goethe
7th,
all-
Weimar on November
This
visit
age at the
this
twenty-six.
was
practically
long
life
in
Werther
had set a fashion, not only in ideas, but in dress. Goethe no sooner the appeared at the Court than he made a conquest of everyone even the poet Wieland, who was one of the ladies worshipped him
;
;
fixed
literary
" In the
stars
in
the constellation
of
Weimar, was
ideal of
instantly
won.
a poet.
To
PREFACE
moderns there are no very sentimental suggestions in a costume which was composed of a blue coat and brass buttons, top boots and leather breeches, the whole surmounted by powder and pigtail but in those days this costume was the suggestion of everything tender and romantic. Werther had consecrated it." No one, however, was more completely captivated by Goethe than Karl August. He and Goethe became inseparables but this friendship, begun with such force, did not exhaust itself; it was composed of qualities of a more enduring kind than mere boon companionship, and grew into one of those friendships which last a lifetime. Karl August soon showed his great appreciation of Goethe by over-stepping precedence and electing him to the post of Geheime Legations Rath, with a seat
; ;
and voice on the Privy Council, and a salary of 1,200 thalers (200). This was the first of many honours that his kind-hearted patron showered upon him but as years went on the poet chafed at the
;
restrictions of Court
life,
efl^'ect
that
it
had on
it
his
work.
He
was
away
for
first
on a journey
Switzerland, and
later
that
his
powers of composition
off practically
his
life-time.
The
his
Faust
legend was
Strasburg,
familiar
saj's
to
him
from
an
childhood.
In
1770-1
while at
Lewes,
he formed
personal
1774-5,
when he wrote
first
scene
with
Wagner.
And
while he was in
:
with
in
Lili,
he sketched
Marguerite's catastrophe
" the
between
Faust
and
Mephistopheles
During
additions
journey to
Switzerland
he
Italy
to
when
in
made some
Faust: Bin
further additions.
1790,
title:
Fragment.
adding
night.
In
1797
he remodelled
the
the
entire
work,
the
afterwards
the
two
Prologues,
it
Dedication,
and
Walpurgis
completed
in 1801,
now
stands
was
practically
in the
xvi
PREFACE
Commentators who have dealt with every phrase of Goethe's drama, have shown what were the sources from which he derived his story. The suhject is too vast and compHcated to he treated
here,
but
it
is
sufficient
to
say
that
Goethe's
researches
for
material were very wide and thorough, and, like Sir Walter Scott, he
analysis
attention
subject.
of
to
which
cannot
to
do
better
of
the reader
who
is
desires
make
full
Goethe's
is
play
far
immeasurably
more
matured
of
than
the
Marlowe's, and
story.
He
life
life, but he has exalted it into a symbol of human and the resultant work may be compared to a brilliant with innumerable facets, each reflecting a different colour and light. The latter days of Goethe still found him engaged on Faust.
study of Faustus'
;
It
first
part as
However, he continued the story in a second part, a work compared with the earlier portion in point of interest. This composition was completed in July, 1831, and on March 22, 1832, Goethe passed away at Weimar, at the ripe age of 82.
fragment.
not to be
Faust
has formed
is
not very
basis
suitable
for
popular
representation,
but
it
the
of
several
acting versions,
some
of which
have attained great success, chief of whicli is undoubtedlv the grand opera, popular both on account of the romantic story which it presents, and of Gounod's music. This opera in five acts was first produced at the Theatre Lyrique, Paris, on March 19th,
1859.
the
first
written by Barbier
&
Carre,
original cast
:
The
following
was the
-
Marguerite
Siebel
Mme. Miolan
Mile. Faivre.
Carvalho.
Faust
Valentin
Mephistopheles
Martha
Mme.
Duclos.
The opera
1863,
in
London as "Faust" on June 11th, English on January 23rd, 1864; and in Germany as
first
appeared
in
PREFACE
"
Margarethe."
closely..
The
story of
the
opera follows
Goethe's tragedy
very
Among
Lyceum
the
first
must be made
London by Henry
Irving at the
which was adapted by W. G. Wills from part of Goethe's drama, and was mounted with much costliness
in 1885.
The
play,
and magnificence,
in
is
still
who
in
played Marguerite to
Henry
Irving's
Mephistopheles,
us
that
some
of the
Lyceum
realistic.
plays
mothers who took their daughters regularly to the drew a line at Faust, which they considered too
English
many
in
times.
The
anonymously
if
1821.
Shelley was perhaps the next to attempt the task, but his
untimely
he ever
to
death
in
July,
1822,
prevented
so.
It
is
him
said
from finishing
that
of
it,
contemplated
doing
he
the
intended
earlier
make
good certain
deficiencies
in
the
work
translator.
lines,
May-day Night.
The beauty
of these pieces
any
some
minor points Shelley has misconstrued the meaning of the original, one cannot but regret that he did not live to finish the work. His two scenes will be found in the appendix to this book. Professor
John Stuart Blackie made a good verse translation of Faust in student days (published in 1834), and many years afterwards, 1880, revised and re-issued it.
Dr. John Anster, an
of a translation of
Irish lawyer, contributed
his
in
some fragments
1835.
is
The
pleasantly written.
made by Bayard
This version is deservedh' esteemed by and published in 1870-1. some above all others. One of the most popular translations, however, is that of Miss Anna Swanwick (both parts, and in verse), which
Yet another version in verse, forms a portion of the Bohn series. by Sir Theodore Martin, appeared in 1865. F'rench literature has been
xviii
PREFACE
enriched by a translation of Faust by a distinguished Gerard de Nerval.
It
is
man
of letters,
very
difficult to
One can hardly preserve the beauty of Goethe's style the most that can be looked for is a clear and accurate rendering of the original. The only English translation which can in any way be said to give
expect
to
;
in this book.
The
country gentleman of Wiltshire, himself the author of some books on the science of agriculture, Abraham Hayward was
son of
born
on
November 22nd,
educated at
1801,
at
White
Luckington,
Somerset.
after
He was
home
Blundell's
School,
Tiverton,
and
tuition
was
London, he soon made many by joining the London Debating Society, where he became associated (among others) with J. S. Mill, who
commended
editors
until
his
of
the
Law
He became one
continued as
its
director
June,
1844.
the
Hayward
his
visited
Germany
of
in
meantime he was called to the Bar. 1831, and on his return he printed
private
circulation,
translation
it
Faust
for
and
afterwards
published
revisited
in
In the
autumn
January
of that year he
Germany,
and
in
the
following
re-issued
an
Germany, and was received with cordiality by Hallam, Southey, Rogers, Allan Cunningham, and many others. Carlyle regarded it as the best
well noticed in
version in English.
position in society,
The success
of Faust gave
Hayward an assured
By this time he had gained some notoriety as an authority on gastronomy, and had published his well-known book on " The Art
of Dining." The attention which he devoted to this art, indeed, was not ill bestowed, for his dinners at his Chambers in the Temple attracted some of the most distinguished men and women of the day, such as Lockhart, Macaulay, Sydney Smith, Lansdowne, Henry Bulwer, Lord Lyndhurst, and Mrs. Norton. In 1844 Hayward
began to contribute
to the
PREFACE
for
his
best
He
died
in
at
his
rooms
his
at
St.
;
James's
a
Street,
on
his eighty-third
year
man
to be
remem-
brilliant talents,
and
his
contemporaries
he
too
often
seems
to
and Gastronomy.
thought
In
reprinting
translation
it
has
not
been
necessary to
reproduce his Prefaces, as the purpose for which they were written has to a great extent passed away. It has been thought desirable also
to abridge his
somewhat voluminous
notes.
Among
designs
in
the
many
illustrators
of Goethe's
Faiisf,
Retzsch was,
is certainly the best known. These which were published about 1820, were admired by Shelley and perhaps gave him an interest in the subject. They
were also
Something has
already been said about the difficulty of translating Goethe's Faust into
the English language.
artist
difficulties
who
seems
to have discovered a
Mr. Pogany, however, and he has worked it, we think, than any of his numerous predecessors. His
the great
;
drama they
illustrate,
emblematical
his
schemes of colour
scenes
emotional
atmosphere
of
the
subtle
meaning
reached by
picture
of
who
and
have attempted to
illustrate
That
Marguerite
lover's
in
a true
dream.
Summer-
house, and
Under
the
in
the
is
it,
last
illustration
all
veritable
colour
poems.
Although
all
Poganj'
that concerns
new land
of promise,
and
may account
and originality of
his compositions.
September, 1908.
Roger Ingpen.
FAUST
DEDICATION
YE
delusion
mist.
my
you
that
troubled view
fast
? ?
Shall
feel
try,
hold
rise
around out
of vapour
and
My bosom
feels
youthfully agitated
by the magic
Ye
loved
rises
many
shades
like
to
pang
fair
with Friendship, in their company. The renewed the plaint repeats the labyrinthine mazy course of life, and names the dear ones, who, cheated of
First-love,
is
;
lays
the
souls
to
whom
first
sang
my
first.
Dispersed
is
the
away
My
sorrow voices
itself
to the
stranger
many
makes my heart
sick
and
still
all
that in
my
song
if
living, strays
And a
Spirit-realm
yearning,
seizes
long
unfelt,
for
that
quiet
pensive
in
me.
'Tis
half-
A formed tones, my lisping lay, hke the ^olian harp. tremor seizes me tear follows tear the austere heart feels What I have, I see as in the itself growing mild and soft. distance and what is gone, becomes a reality to me.
: :
two,
who have
so
often
stood
by
me
upon German
ground
it
and lets live. The posts, and every one looks forward
There they sit already, cool, with elevated brows, and would fain be set a wondering. I know
how
is
propitiated
yet
have never been in such a dilemma as now. True, they are not accustomed to the best, but they have
read a terrible deal.
all
How
shall
we manage
it
that
at
once?
when
the
For assuredly I like to see the multitude, stream rushes toward our booth, and, with
undulations,
powerfully-repeated
forces
in
itself
through
the
narrow portal of
before
four,
grace
when,
their
they
elbow
way
the
paying-place,
and
necks for a
ticket, as in a
famine at
FAUST
bakers' doors for bread.
It
is
my
me
spirit
oh
do
it
to-day
Oh
speak not to
of
takes
Veil
from
me
No! conduct me
friendship, with
for
the
poet
Ah
and now perchance Often succeeding the wild moment's sway swallows up. only when it has endured through years, does it appear in
tremblingly
failing,
now
completed form.
What
If
I
glitters,
is
born
for
the
moment
posterity
more about
malvc
fun for contemporaries ? That they will have and ought to have it. The presence of a gallant lad, too, is always something, I should think. Who knows how to impart himself
agreeably
he
will
He
Then
Let
do but
Fancy,
Feeling,
try
show
model.
with
her
but
choruses,
Passion,
mark
Understanding,
without
Folly,
be heard.
But, most particularly, let there be incident Manager. enough. People come to look; their greatest pleasure is to see. If much is spun off before their eyes, so that the many can gape with astonishment, you have then gained in breadth immediately You can only you are a great favourite. subdue the mass by mass. Each eventually picks out something for himself. Who brings much, will bring something
;
to
many
a one, and
all
leave the
6
house content.
If
you
once
It
in
is
pieces
easily
With such
?
a hash, you
What
You
that
avails
to pieces for
Poet.
how
little
The daubing
you.
of
see, is already a
maxim with
Such a reproof does not mortify me at all. A man who intends to work properly, must have an eye to the best tool. Consider, you have soft wood to split and
Manager.
;
Whilst one is driven from a meal of too many dishes all, very many a one comes from reading the newspapers. People hurry dissipated to us, as to masquerades and curiosity only wings every
only look
!
whom
;
by ennui, the
step.
The
and play with about on your poetical height ? What is it that makes a Half are full house merry ? Look closely at your patrons cold, half raw. One hopes for a game of cards after the play another, a wild night on the bosom of a wench. Why, poor fools that ye are, do ye give the sweet Muses much I tell you, only give more, and more, trouble for such an end ? and more again thus you can never be wide of your mark. to satisfy them is hard Try only to mystify the people
!
and their finery as a treat, us without pay. What are you dreaming
What
poet,
Poet.
come to you ? Delight or pain ? Begone and seek thyself another servant The forsooth, is wantonly to sport away for thy sake the
is
!
him
By what
?
stirs
he every heart
not the
By what subdues he
every element
Is it
harmony
which
bursts from
?
out his breast, and sucks the world back again into his heart
When
when
7
FAUST
all
who,
to
life-infusing
it
so
moves
general
rhythmically consecration
Who
calls
it
the
in
Individual
the
?
where
?
strikes
glorious
?
accords
Who
in
Who
Who
?
wreathes the
into a garland of
Who
ensures Olympus
associates
Gods
Man's Power revealed in the Poet. Merryman. Employ these fine powers then, and carry on your poetical affairs as one carries on a love-adventure. Accidentally one approaches, one feels, one stays, and little
one gets entangled. The happiness increases, then one is delighted, then comes distress and it is disturbed Let us also before one is aware of it, it is even a romance.
by
little
;
Do
human
in
is
life
it
and seize
the
Every one lives it, to not many is it known where you will, it is interesting. Little clearness
;
!
motley images
much
this
brew the best liquor, which refreshes and edifies Then assembles youth's fairest flower to all the world. Then every play, and listens to the revelation. see your gentle mind sucks melancholy nourishment for itself from out your work then one while this, and one while that, is stirred up each one sees what he carries in his heart. They are as yet equally ready to weep and to laugh they still honour the
way
to
there
is
always be grateful.
Poet.
Then give me
still
myself was
forming
when
when mists \eiled the sprang freshly and unbrokenly forth when I before me, the bud still promised miracles world
the
I
thousand
tiowers
which profusely
yet
filled
all
had nothing, and after truth, and the pleasure in those impulses untamed, the deep, energy of hate, the might of love
enough,
the
longing
delusion!
Give
me
back
Merryman.
Youth,
my good
when
of
afar,
when
lasses
when
from
course beckons from the hard-won goal, when, after the dance's maddening whirl, one drinks away the night carousing. But to strike the
the the
swift
garland
lyre with spirit and grace, to sweep along, with happy wanderings, towards a self-appointed aim that, old gentlemen, is j'our duty, and we honour you not the less on that account. Old age does not make childish, as men say
familiar
it
only finds us
still
as true children.
;
Manager. Words enough have been interchanged let me now see deeds also. Whilst you are turning compliments, something useful may be done. What boots it to stand
talking
so.
If
about being
in
the
vein
The
;
hesitating never
poets,
is
for
command
sip strong
poesy.
drink
we would What is
not doing
and no day should be wasted Resolution should boldly seize the possible by in dallying. She will then not let it go, and the forelock at once. works on, because she cannot help it. You know, upon our German stage, every one tries what he likes. Therefore spare me neither scenery nor machinery
to-day
is
;
upon this day. Use the greater and the lesser light of there is no want are free to squander the stars heaven you So tread, in this of water, fire, rocks, beasts, and birds. narrow booth, the whole circle of creation and travel, with considerate speed, from Heaven, through the World, to Hell.
; ; ;
FAUST
PROLOGUE
The Lord
IN
HEAVEN
Afterwards
the
Tlic three
Raphael.
chimes in, as ever, with the emulous music of his brother spheres, and performs his prescribed
sun
His aspect
strength
to
the
angels,
though
none can fathom him. Thy inconceivably sublime works are glorious as on the first day.
Gabriel.
of
And
rapid,
pomp
the
earth
revolves
the
brightness of
paradise
alternates
broad waves at the deep base of the rocks and rock and sea are whirled on in the ever rapid course
up
in
of the spiieres.
Michael.
And storms
are roaring as
if
in
rivalry,
from
all
around a chain
FAUST
of
the
deepest
ferment
in
their
rage.
There,
flashing
But
Thy aspect
first
gives
and inquu'e how things are going on with us, and on other occasions were generally not displeased to see me therefore is it that you see me also among your suite. Excuse me, cannot talk fine, not though the whole circle should cry scorn on me. My pathos would certainly make you laugh, have nothing to say about had you not left off laughing. only mark how men are plaguing suns and worlds I The little god of the world continues ever of themselves. He the same stamp, and is as odd as on the first day. would lead a somewhat better life of it, had you not given him a glimmering of heaven's light. He calls it reason, and He uses it only to be more brutal than every other brute. seems to me, with your Grace's leave, like one of the longlegged grass-hoppers, which is ever flying, and bounding as it flies, and then sings its old song in the grass; and would that he did but lie always in the grass He thrusts his
nose into every puddle. The Lord. Have you nothing else to say to
me
Are
you always coming for no other purpose than to complain ? Is nothing ever to your liking upon earth ? Mephistopheles. No, Lord! I find things there, as ever,
miserably bad.
Men,
I
in
their days of
wretchedness, move
my
pity
even
poor things.
TJie Lord.
Mepliistoplieles.
The Lord.
My
12
PROLOGUE
Mephistopheles.
his
IN
HEAVEN
own. The fool's meat and drink are not of earth. The ferment impels him towards the far away. He himself is half conscious of his madness. Of heaven he demands its brightest stars; and of earth its every highest enjoyment;
and
all
all
the
far,
agitated breast.
The Lord.
now,
I
me
in perplexity
shall
When
fruit
the gardener
deck the
coming years.
Mephistopheles.
him
way.
yet,
if
you give
What will you wager? you shall lose me leave to guide him quietly my own
lives
is
The Lord.
it
So long as he
Man
struggle lasts.
Mephistopheles.
I
I
am much
not at
like
plump, fresh
I
am
home
to a corpse.
am
like
Enough,
it
is
permitted thee.
Divert this
if
original source,
thou canst
down on thy own path with thee. And stand abashed, when thou are compelled to own a good man, in his dark strivings, may still be conscious of the right way.
him,
Mephistopheles.
I
Well, well,
pain for
only
it
will
not
I
last
long.
my wager. Should Dust excuse my triumphing with my whole soul. eat, and with a relish, like my cousin, the renowned
am
not at
all
in
succeed,
shall
he
snake.
The Lord.
I
to act as
all
you
like.
of you.
Of
Man's
activity
FAUST
repose;
stirs
I
am
who
of
be doing.
the living
But
ye, the
true
heaven, rejoice
profusion
beauty.
all
The
time,
and
with
what
hovers
changeful
seeming, do
[Heaven
ye
fix
firm
everlasting
thoughts.
closes, the Arehaiigels disperse.
Mephistopheles
occasionally,
really civil
in
(alone).
like
to see
the Ancient
him.
One
It is
Devil himself.
THE DRAMA
NIGHT
Faust in a high-vaulted narrow Gothic chamber, seated
restlessly at his desk.
Faust.
HAVE
now,
alas,
by zealous exertion,
philosophy,
thoroughly
mastered
the
jurist's craft,
and medicine,
and
I
to
my
Here
stand,
am
called
now
nearly ten
my
pupils
about
up and down, crossways and crooked ways nose and see that we can know nothing
;
!
by
the
it
I
This
True,
is
am
cleverer
than
all
the
solemn
triflers
doctors,
For
no longer
No
me
very reason
all
fancy
I
Then
have
FAUST
any longer. I have therefore devoted myself to magic whether, through the power and voice of the Spirit, many a mystery might not become known to me that I may no longer, with bitter
in
the world.
No dog would
like
to live so
do not know
that
may
see
learn
all
what holds the world together in its inmost core, the springs and seeds of production, and drive no
in
words.
would that thou, radiant moonlight, wert looking thou, for whom I have for the last time upon my misery then, over sat watching so many a midnight at this desk books and papers, melancholy friend, didst thou appear to might wander on the mountain-tops in me Oh that thy loved light hover with spirits round the mountain cavesflit over the fields in thy glimmer, and, disencumbered from all the fumes of knowledge, bathe myself sound in thy dew still penned up in this dungeon ? Woe is me am accursed, musty, walled hole ! where even the precious light of heaven breaks mournfully through painted panes, stinted by this heap of books, which worms eat dust begrimes which, up to the very top of the vault, a smoke-smeared paper encompasses with glasses, boxes ranged round, with instruments piled up on all sides, ancestral lumber stuffed This is thy world, and a precious world in with the rest.
! ; ; ! !
Oh
it
is
And
in
dost thou
?
still
ask,
why
life ?
thy
bosom
Why
a vague
Instead
of
the
animated
in
smoke
and mould.
Up
for thee
awa}'
And
it
this
mysterious
book, from
!
NIGHT
when nature
to
thee, as
one
Vain
!
that dull
Ye
are hovering,
ye Spirits, near
me
answer me
thrills
I
if
[He opens the book and perceives the sign of the Macrocosm.
Ah
glowing,
what
shoot
rapture
!
all
feel
fresh,
through
?
nerve
and vein. Was it a god which still the storm within me,
poor heart with gladness, and, by a mystical intuition, unveil the powers of nature all around me. Am I a God ?
All
my
grows so bright
I
see,
in
Nature
the
first
herself working in
my
soul's
presence.
time do
is
Now
"
for
The
is
spirit-world
not closed.
Thy sense
is
shut,
thy heart
dead
Up,
How
all
weaves
itself
How
into the whole one works and heavenly powers ascend and descend,
;
and reach each other the golden buckets, with bliss-exhaling pinions, press from heaven through earth, all ringing harmoniously through the All.
What
of
all
life,
show
but
Ah
?
the
blighted
on which hang heaven and earth, towards which breast presses ye gush, ye suckle, and am I
thus languishing
in vain
[He turns over the book indignantly, and sees the sign of the Spirit of the Earth.
How
differently this
sign
affects
me
;
Thou, Spirit of
feel
Already do
my
energies
new wine
stand
feel
courage to
woe
wrestle
with
storms,
and
17
unshaken
mid
the
FAUST
shipwreck's crash.
Clouds
;
thicken over
;
me
the
;
moon
pales
her light
flash
away
exhalations arise
red beams
round
my head
roof
down from
it
the vaulted
flitting
and fastens on me
in
feel
thou
art
!
Spirit.
all
Unveil thyself
Ah
what
to
tearing
my
heart
!
stirring
new
sensations
feel
surrendered to thee.
Thou must
thou
;
must
should
it
cost
me my
life.
[He seizes the book and pronounces mystically the sign of the Spirit. A red flame flashes up the Spirit appears in the
flame.
Spirit.
Who
calls to
me
face).
Horrible vision
hither, by dint of
long
sucking at
Faust.
Spirit.
my
sphere.
!
And now
I
Torture
endure thee
not.
my
voice, to see
my
!
face.
Thy powerful
calling
?
me.
am
is
here
the
What
soul's
in itself,
the demigod
breast,
it ?
Where
Where
lift
is
the
that
created a world
the
which,
a level with
Where art thou, Faust, whose voice rang who pressed towards me with all his energies ? Art thou he ? thou, who, at the bare perception of my breath,
Spirits.
to me,
art
shivering through
all
the
depths of
life,
a trembling,
writhing
worm
?
I
Faust.
Shall
yield
to thee, child of
Are
am
he,
am
life.
storm of action,
am
drift hither
and
thither.
NIGHT
Birth and grave,
An
eternal sea,
A A
Thus
I
changeful weaving,
glowing
life
work at the whizzing loom of time, And weave the living clothing of the Deity. Faust. Busy spirit, thou who sweepest round the wide
world,
how near
feel to thee
Spirit.
Thou
art
mate
for
the
Spirit
whom
thou
Faust (collapsing).
I,
the image of
Not for thee For whom then the Deity, and not mate for even thee!
it
Oh, death
fortune
is
know
that
is
my
!
amanuensis.
My
fairest
turned to naught.
[Wagner
must disturb
lamp
hand.
you were improve myself in this art, for no\v-a-days it influences a good deal. I have often heard say, a player might instruct a priest.
;
Wagner.
surely reading a
to
Faust.
Yes,
when
!
the priest
is
a player, as
may
likely
enough come to pass occasionally. Wagner. Ah when a man is so confined to his study, and hardly sees the world of a holyday hardly through a telescope, only from afar how is he to lead it by persuasion ? Faust. If you do not feel it, you will not get it by hunting for it, if it does not gush from the soul, and Sit subdue the hearts of all hearers with original delight. at it for ever glue together cook up a hash from the feast of others, and blow the paltry flames out of your own little heap of ashes You may gain the admiration of children if you have a stomach for it but you will never and apes,
19
FAUST
touch the hearts of others,
if
it
your own.
Wagner.
success.
I
But
it
is
elocution
I
makes the
orator's
am
still
far behindhand.
Try what can be got by honest means Be no tinkling fool Reason and good sense are expressed with little art. And when you are seriously intent on saying something, is it necessary to hunt for words ? Your speeches, say, which are so glittering, in which ye crisp the shreds of humanity, are unrefreshing as the mist-wind which whistles through the withered leaves in autumn. Wagner. Oh, God art is long, and our life is short.
Faust.
!
and before he
!
well, a drink
from which
it
Wagner.
one's-self
Excuse me
spirit
into the
of
the times
to
to see
how
a wise
man has thought before us, and we have at last carried it.
Faust.
My friend, the Oh, yes, up to the very stars. What you term past ages are to us a book with seven seals. the spirit of the times, is at bottom only your own spirit
in
reflected.
miserable exhibition,
it
too,
frequently
is
at at
the
first
glance!
dirt-tub
lumber-room! and,
best,
puppet-show play, wnih fine pragmatical saws, such as may happen to sound welt in the mouths of the puppets the heart and mind of man Wagner. But the world like to know something about that. every one would Who dares call Faust. Aye, what is called knowing
!
! !
20
NIGHT
name ? The few who have ever known anything about it, who siUily enough did not keep a guard over their full hearts, who revealed what they had felt and
the child by
its
true
these,
I
and
burned.
beg,
the
off.
night
is
far
of
Easter, permit
I
me
have kept waking to converse To-morrow, however, the first day a question or two more. Zealously
fain
have
I
True,
know much
but
[Exit. would fain know all. Faust {alone). How all hope only quits not the brain, which clings perseveringly to trash, gropes with greedy hand for treasures, and exults at finding earth-worms Dare such a human voice sound here, where all around me teemed with spirits ? Yet ah, this once I thank thee,
thou poorest of
all
Thou
didst snatch
me from
sense.
despair,
!
which
Alas
the vision
was
felt quite
formed
in
God's own
image,
who
;
already
thought
who
revelled, in
me
I,
how
I
must
If
atone for
I
it!
me
wide away.
I
had no
so
little,
power
moment,
felt
so great; you cruelly thrust me back upon the uncertain lot Who will teach me ? What am I to shun ? of humanity. Must I obey that impulse ? Alas our actions, equally with
!
lives.
FAUST
and more foreign, is ever clinging to the noblest conception the mind can form. When we have attained to the good of this world, what is better is termed falsehood and vanity. The glorious feelings which gave us
foreign,
life,
Something
grow
If
full
of
for is now enough her, when venture after venture has been wrecked in the whirlpool of time. Care straightway nestles in the depths of the heart, hatches vague tortures there, rocks herself restlessly, and frightens joy and peace away. She is ever putting on new masks she may appear as house and land, as wife and child, as fire, water, dagger and poison. You tremble before all that does not befall you, and must be always wailing what you never lose. I am not like the godheads I feel it but too deeply. I am like the worm, which drags itself through the dust, which, as it seeks its living in the dust, is crushed and buried by the step of the passer-by. Is it not dust? all that in a hundred shelves contracts this lofty wall the frippery, which, with its thousand forms of emptiness, cramps me up in this moth-world ? Shall I find what want here ? Must go on reading in a thousand books, that men have everywhere been miserable, that now and then there has been a happy one. Thou, hollow skull, what mean'st thou by that grin ? but that thy brain, like mine, was once bewildered, sought the bright day, and, with an ardent longing after truth, went
little
space
Ye instruments
and cogs, cylinders and collars. I stood at the gate, ye were to be the key true, your wards are curiously twisted, but you raise not the bolt. Inscrutable at broad day, nature does not suffer herself to be robbed of her veil and what
; ;
22
NIGHT
she does not choose to reveal to thy mind, thou wilt not wrest from her by levers and screws.
art
been growing smoke-besmeared since the dim lamp first smouldered at this desk. Far better would it be for me to have squandered away the little I possess, than to be sweating here under the burthen of that
hast
little.
Thou, old
enjoy
burden
an oppressive
only can
it
that
profit by.
But why are my looks fastened on that spot is that phial there a magnet to my eyes ? Why, of a sudden, is all
:
so exquisitely bright, as
one benighted
I
in
the
when wood ?
I
hail thee,
;
now
take
down
with reverence
of
I
thee
Thou abstraction
all
to thy master
mitigated
struggle abates
the spirit's
flood-tide ebbs
by degrees.
to me. prepared to permeate the realms of space, on a new track, to new spheres of pure activity. This sublime
I
am beckoned out into the wide sea; the glassy wave at my feet another day invites to other shores. A chariot of fire waves, on light pinions, down
;
glitters
feel
existence,
this
god-like
beatitude
And
thou,
worm
but
now, dost thou merit it ? Aye, only resolutely turn thy back on the lovely sun of this earth Dare to tear up the gates which each willingly slinks by Now is the time to show by deeds that man's dignity yields not to God's sublimity,
!
to
quail
not
in
presence
itself
of
its
that
dark
abyss,
in
which
c 2
phantasy
damns
to
own
torments
to
struggle
33
FAUST
onwards
is
all
Hell
flaming
calmly to resolve
even at the
which I have from your old forth not thought for many a year, You glittered at my father's festivities you receptacle gladdened the grave guests, as one passed you to the other. down, pure crystal
goblet, on
Now come
!
The gorgeousness
of
the
many
artfully-wrought
images,
contents at a draught,
youth.
I
remind
It
fills
me
of
many
a night of
:
my
shall
not
now
shall
not
now
display
my
Here
is
a juice
which soon
flood.
intoxicates.
this last
its
brown
I
Be
draught
which
to his
choose
quaffed,
with
my whole
soul,
solemn
festal
mouth.
The ringing of
bells
arisen
Whom
Faust.
irresistibly
What deep humming, what clear strain, draws Are ye hollowthe goblet from my mouth ?
sounding bells already proclaiming the first festal hour of Are ye choruses already singing the comforting Easter ?
hymn, which once, round the night of the sepulchre, pealed forth, from angel lips, assurance to a new covenant
!
CHORUS OF WOMEN.
With
spices
;
Had we embalmed him We, his faithful ones, Had laid him out.
24
NIGHT
Clothes and bands
Cleanlily swathed
we round;
Ah
CHORUS OF ANGELS.
Christ
is
arisen
Happy
Who
Faust.
Why, ye heavenly
out
in
!
you seek
are
to
me
the dust
I
men
be
is
found
hear
the
Miracle
from whence the glad tidings sound and yet, accustomed to this sound from infancy, it even now calls me back to life. In other days, the kiss of heavenly love descended upon me in the solemn stillness of the Sabbath
spheres
then the full-toned
bell
sounded so
fraught
with
mystic
longing,
inconceivably sweet, drove me forth to wander over wood and plain, and amidst a thousand burning tears, I felt a world rise up to me. This anthem harbingered the gay sports of youth, the unchecked happiness of spring festivity.
Recollection
now
holds
The
tear
is
me back, with childlike feeling, from Oh sound on, ye sweet heavenly flowing, earth has me again.
!
CHORUS OF DISCIPLES.
Has
He
Ah
!
in
reviving
bliss,
Near
to creating joy.
FAUST
left us, his own, Languishing here below Alas we weep over. Master, thy happy lot
!
He
CHORUS OF ANGELS.
Christ
is
arisen
Out
of corruption's lap.
Love manifesting.
Breaking bread brethren-like.
Travelling and preaching him,
Bliss promising
You
is
For you
he here
pass
out.
Some Mechanics.
that
way
Ot/iers.
We
Jiigerhaus.
The Former.
mill.
to
the
A A
A A
Mechanic.
Second.
Third.
Wasserhof.
The road
I
is
not at
all
pleasant.
?
T/te others.
Fourth.
What shall you do then am going with the others, Come up to Burghdorf you
;
Fifth.
?
I
You
wild fellow,
third time
don't like
that place.
Servant Girl.
Another.
poplars.
No, no,
shall
We
find
him
to
a certainty by those
The
First.
That
side.
walk by your
the green.
He will no great gain for me. With you alone does he dance upon
is
I
What have
to
FAUST
Tlie Second.
He
is
The
Student.
The
come
taste.
along, brother,
stinging
tobacco,
how the brave wenches step out; we must go with them. Strong beer, and a girl in full trim, that now is my
devil
!
Citizens'
Daughters.
really a
Now
do but
look
at
those fine
of
lads
It
is
shame.
company, and are running after these servant-girls. Second Student to the First. Not so fast there are coming up behind they are trimly dressed out. One two have a great liking for the girl. of them is my neighbour They are walking in their quiet way, and yet will suffer us
; ;
to join
do not
like
to
be under
The hand that twirls the mop on a Saturday, will fondle you best on Sundays Townsman. No, the new Burgomaster is not to my taste now that he has become so, he is daily getting Is it not bolder and what is he doing for the town ?
restraint.
we
lose
the game.
One
is
obliged
to
in
submit to
more
restraints
than ever,
any time
ladies,
before.
Beggar
(sings).
Ye good gentlemen, ye
lovely
my
wants.
Do
not suffer
is
me
to
here
in
vain.
is
light-hearted.
Be
a harvest-day to me.
Another Townsman. I know nothing better on Sundays and holidays than a chat of war and war's alarms, when
people are fighting,
behind,
far
away
his
;
in
Turkey.
A man
home
stands
at
the
window, takes
off
glass,
down
the
river
then
Aye, neighbour,
care
have no objection
heads,
that
they
another's
I
;
and turn
things at
only
let
home remain
as they are.
Old Woman to the Citizens' Daughters. Hey dey: how smart the pretty young creatures. Who would not be smitten with you ? Only not so proud it is all very well and what you wish, I should know how to put you in the
An
way
of getting.
Citizen's Daughter.
Come
along, Agatha.
in
take care
public
true,
on Saint
in
my
future sweetheart
flesh
The
but
I
other.
in
I
look around,
Towns with
lofty
fain
would win.
And
As So
the trumpets
That That
a storming.
is
life
for you!
Must surrender.
29
FAUST
Bold the adventure, Noble the reward
And
Are
the soldiers
off.
Faust.
ice
by the gay
quickening
the
spring.
The
in
joys
his
of
hope
are
weakness, has from thence he sends, in his flight, nothing but impotent showers of hail, in flakes, over the green-growing meadows. But the Sun endures no Production and growth are everywhere stirring white. he
in
budding
Old
winter,
;
is
wants
instead.
he
takes
gaily-dressed
the town.
crowd.
arisen
this rising ground upon Forth from the gloomy portal presses a motley Every one suns himself so willingly to-day. They
Turn
houses, from the bondage of mechanical drudgery, from the confinement of gables and roofs, from the stifling narrowness of streets, from the venerable gloom of churches, are they all raised
from
the
damp rooms
mean
up to the open
the river,
in
light of
itself
day.
But
look, look
how
quickly
;
fields
how
many
a merry bark
upon
its
surface, and
how
this last
to sinking,
moves
off.
mountain,
gay-coloured
bustle of
;
glance
;
upon
is
us.
hear
Here,
already the
the village
here
of the multitude
I
big
I
and
little
am
man
here,
may be
one.
Wagner. To walk with you, Sir Doctor, is honour and But I would not lose myself here alone, because I profit.
30
Fiddlinj;;,
shouting,
to
detestable
me.
it
the devil
was
call it singing.
The swain dressed himself out for the dance, With party-coloured jacket, ribbon and garland, Smartly was he dressed The ring round the lime-tree was already full,
!
And
all
were dancing
!
like
mad.
Huzza! Huzza!
Tira-lira-hara-la
He
pressed eagerly
in.
Gave a maiden a push With his elbow The buxom girl turned round
:
And
said
call stupid."
Huzza
" Don't be so
Huzza
ill
Tira-lira-hara-la
bred."
it
They turned
right,
And all the petticoats were flying. They grew red, they grew warm, And rested panting arm-in-arm,
Huzza! Huzza!
Tira-lira-hara-la
!
And elbow on
"
hip.
don't be so fond
"
!
a man has cajoled and Deceived his betrothed, But he coaxed her aside, And far and wide echoed from the lime-tree
How many
Huzza! Huzza!
Tira-lira-hara-la
!
Shouts and
fiddle-sticks.
31
FAUST
good of you, not to scorn us to-day, and great scholar as you are, to mingle in this crowd. Take then the fairest jug, which we have filled with fresh liquor I pledge you in it, and pray aloud that
Doctor, this
is
Old Peasant.
really
it
thirst
may
the
number
of drops
it
Faust.
all
Old Peasant.
Of a surety it is well done of you, to You have been our friend in evil
Many
tiie
whom
when he stayed
You
too, at
:
man, went many a dead body was borne forth, You endured many a sore trial. The
Helper above helped the helper. All. Health to the tried friend
may
power
help,
to help
Faust.
high,
who
how
to
and sends help. Wagner. What a feeling, great man, must you experience at the honours paid you by this multitude. Oh, happy he who can turn his gifts to so good an account. The father points you out to his boy all ask, and press, and hurry round. The fiddle stops, the dancer pauses. As you go by, they range themselves in rows, caps Hy into the air, and they all but bend the knee as if the Host were passing. Faust. Only a few steps further, up to that stone yonder Here we will rest from our walk. Here many a time have I sat, thoughtful and solitary, and mortified myself with prayer and fasting. Rich in hope, firm in faith,
; !
thought to extort the stoppage of that pestilence from the Lord of Heaven, with tears, and sighs, and wringing of
32
The applause
of
the
multitude
in
now sounds
to
like derision.
little
Oh
my
inmost
soul,
!
me how
My and son have merited such an honour father was a worthy, sombre man, who, honestly but in his own way, meditated, with whimsical application, on nature
father
;
who, in the company of adepts, and her hallowed circles shut himself up in the dark laboratory, and fused contraries together after numberless recipes. There was a red lion, a bold lover, married to the lily in the tepid bath, and then
both, with
bridal
chamber
hues,
to
another.
the
young
queen,
with
varied
;
then
appeared
died,
hellish
the patients was the physic and no one inquired who recovered. Thus did we, with
in
the glass
this
in
electuaries,
rage
far
pestilence.
Wagner.
account
?
How
it
Is
not
enough
for
a good
man
to
practice
over to him
willingly
If,
in
learn
from him
if,
in
higher than
still hope to emerge would use the very thing we know not, and cannot use what we know. But let us not embitter the blessing of this hour by such melancholy reflections. See, how the green-girt cottages shimmer in the setting Sun He bends and sinks the day is overlived. Yonder he hurries off, and quickens other life. Oh that I have no wing to lift me from the ground, to struggle after, for ever after, him I should see, in everlasting evening beams, the stilly world at my feet, every height on fire,
Faust.
Oh, happy
he,
who can
from
We
33
FAUST
every vale
streams.
in
repose,
the
my
silver
its
dark
defiles,
godlike course.
Already
light,
the sea,
my
enraptured
sight.
Yet
day
wakes.
before
the
under
he
is
the
no
it
is
passing,
easily
keep
pace with the wings of the mind. Yet it is the inborn tendency of our being for feeling to strive upwards and
onwards
sings
when, over
us, lost
in
when, over rugged pine-covered heights, the outspread eagle soars and over marsh and sea, the crane struggles onwards to her home. I myself have often had my whimsical Wagner.
its trilling lay:
;
moments, but
kind.
One
never yet experienced an impulse of the soon looks one's fill of woods and fields, I shall
I
of
the
us,
bird.
How
differently
to
the
the mind
bear
from book
book,
from
page to page. With them, winter nights become cheerful and bright, a happy life warms every limb, and, ah when you actually unroll a precious manuscript, all heaven comes
!
down
to you.
Thou art conscious only of one impulse. Two souls, never become acquainted with the other
Faust.
!
Oh,
alas,
dwell
in
my
breast
itself
from
lifts
the other.
The one
the other
from the mist to the realms of an exalted ancestry. Oh if there be spirits in the air, which hover ruling 'twixt earth and heaven, descend ye, from your golden atmosphere, and lead me off to a new variegated life. Aye, were but a magic mantle mine, and could it bear me into
34
it
for
the costliest
garments not for a king's mantle. Wagner. Invoke not the well-known troop, which diffuses itself, streaming, through the atmosphere, and prepares danger in a thousand forms, from every quarter, The sharp-fanged spirits, with arrowy tongues, to man. press upon you from the north from the east, they come parching, and feed upon your lungs. If the south sends from the desert those which heap fire after fire upon thy brain, the west brings the swarm which only refreshes, to drown fields, meadows, and yourself. They are fond of listening,
;
ever
keenly alive for mischief: they obey with pleasure, because they take pleasure to delude they feign to be sent from heaven, and lisp like angels when they lie. But let
;
us
be going
the earth
is
is
;
already grown
is
grey, the
air
is
chill,
the mist
falling
it
we
homes.
?
Why
What
do you stand
can thus
fix
still,
your
me
the
particular.
Mark him
for
what
in
do
way,
you
is
take
Wagner.
Faust.
his
puzzling out
Dost thou mark how, in wide spiral curves, he quests round and ever nearer us ? and, if I err not, a line of fire follows upon his track. Wagner. I see nothing but a black poodle you may be deceived by some optical illusion.
;
Faust.
It
appears
to
me, that
coil
he
is
drawing
light
around our
feet.
35
FAUST
Wagner. I see him bounding hesitatingly and around us, because, instead of his master, he sees
strangers.
shily
two
The circle grows narrow he is already close. Wagner. You see, it is a dog, and no spirit. He growls and hesitates, crouches on his belly and wags with his tail all as dogs are wont to do.
Faust.
;
Faust.
Come
It's
to us
Hither
;
Wagner.
will and he will sit on his hind legs jump upon you lose aught, and he will fetch it to you, and jump into the water for your stick. find no trace of a 1 I believe you are right Faust.
; ;
still,
spirit,
and
all
is
training.
Even a wise man may become attached to a dog when he is well brought up. And he richly deserves all
Wagner.
your favour, he, the accomplished pupil of your students, [Tliey enter the gate of the toin'ii. as he is.
FAUST'S STUDY
Faust entering with the poodle.
HAVE
deep
left plain
night,
soul within
foreboding awe.
sunk
in
:
sleep,
every
deed
of
violence
the love of
man
is
stirring
the
Be
quiet
love of
God
is
stirring
now.
thither.
poodle,
run
not
hither
and
?
What
there
is
my
best
running and
as a
now
receive
my
kindness
in
welcome quiet guest. Ah when the lamp is again burning friendily in our narrow cell, then all becomes clear in our bosom, the heart that knows itself. Reason begins to speak,
! ;
we yearn
brutish
for
the streams
oh
life.
Growl
not,
poodle;
the
sound
ill
harmonises
We
understand
to
like
see them
snarl
which
is
snarl at
them
But ah
37
much
as
D
FAUST
contentment wells no longer from my breast. Yet why must the stream be so soon dried up, and we again lie thirsting ? I have had so much experience of This want, however, admits of being compensated. that!
I
maj' wish
for
it,
We
for
is
we
long
which nowhere
more
New
Testament.
darling
feel impelled
my
German.
written
Here
cannot
it
am
already at a stand
value
if
who
so
will
help
;
me
the
on
possibly
the
I
differently,
Word am truly
highly
must translate
spirit.
It
inspired
by
is
Consider well
Is
It
it
the
should
Yet, even
am
writing
spirit
down
:
this,
something warns
!
me
not to keep
At once I see my way, comes to my aid and write conHdently "In the beginning was the Deed." If am to share the chamber with you, poodle, cease
it.
The
I
your howling
quit
cease
It is
;
your barking.
with
cannot endure
of us
I
so
One
reluctance that
is
rights of hospitality
the door
I
!
open
it
the
you.
Can
that
way come
?
clear for
to
pass
by
is
reality
How
I
long and
of a
dog
What
Ah!
I
a phantom
have brought
he
Hery eyes,
terrific teeth.
am
key
is
half-hellish brood.
38
FAUST'S STUDY
Spirits in the passage.
One
is
caught within
As in the gin the fox, Quakes an old lynx of hell But take heed Hover thither, hover back,
!
Up and down.
And he
If j'e
is
loose
Much
Faust.
I
to serve us.
Use the spell of the four: Salamander shall glow, Undine twine,
Sylph vanish,
Kobold be moving
Who
did not
know
The elements.
Their power and properties.
Were no master
Over the
Vanish
spirits.
in flame,
!
Salamander
Rushingly
How
together.
Undine
Shine
in
!
meteor beauty.
Sylph Incubus
Incubus
it.
t)
FAUST
No one
Thou
of
the
four
sticks
I
in
the
beast.
He
lies
feel.
me
conjure stronger.
troop.
He
is
Reprobate
The
unoriginated,
Unpronounceable,
Through
all
heaven diffused,
?
Vilely transpierced
it
is
fills
it
is
Rise
see'st
fire.
Down
in vain.
Thou
do not threaten
for the
will
Wait not
thrice
growing
Wait not
siiikr, in
for
the
strongest of
my
spells.
the dress
Wherefore such a fuss? What may be your pleasure? Faust. This, then, was the kernel of the poodle A The casus makes me laugh. travelling scholar ?
!
Mephistopheles.
salute
your
learned
worship.
You
have made
Faust.
me sweat What is
with a vengeance.
thy
name ?
strikes
Mephistopheles.
The question
me
as trifling for
one
all
who
rates the
Word
so low
FAUST'S STUDY
Faust.
word,
who
Now,
is
in
Mephistopheles.
willing evil
part
of
that
power, which
ever
and ever producing good. Faust. What is meant by this riddle ? Mephistopheles. I am the spirit which constantly denies,
;
be annihilated.
it
that
nothing
my
proper element.
yourself a part, and yet
Faust.
before me.
You
call
stand whole
you the modest truth. Although commonly esteems himself a whole, I am a part of the part, which in the beginning was all a part of the darkness which brought forth light, the proud light, which now contests her ancient rank and space with mother night. But he succeeds not since, strive as he will, he cleaves, as if bound, to bodies. He streams from
Mephistopheles.
I
tell
folly,
in
his
course,
long.
and
so,
hope,
he
will
perish
bodies before
Faust.
Now
know thy
dignified calling.
Thou
art not
on a small one.
Mephistopheles.
little
progress has
been made
opposed to nothing the I have tried already, I have not yet learnt at it, with waves, storms, earthquakes, fire. Sea and land remain undisturbed after all And the damned set, the brood of brutes and men, there is no such thing as getting the better of them
in
it.
That which
is
41
FAUST
neither.
How many
constantly
to
And new
on
so
fresh
it
blood
is
circulating
!
Things
air,
go
in
is
enough
I
From
water, earth
wet,
germs
fii'e,
I
Had
not reserved
Faust.
in
clenched
impotent
the
ever
at
stirring,
the
else,
beneficent
creating power.
something
about
wondrous
son of Chaos.
Mephistophelcs.
We
!
will think
it
in
good earnest
more
depart
?
of
that
anon
see
Might
Faust.
not
;
why you
call
ask.
have
now made
feel
is
on
me
in
future as you
;
Here
is
there
also
Mephistophelcs.
To confess the
walking out
truth, a small
obstacle
prevents
threshold.
me from
the
Faust.
Tell
me
then,
in
?
thou child of
how
cam'st thou
How was
angle, the
such a
spirit
entrapped
it
?
;
Mephistophelcs.
Mark
is,
well
it
is
one
outward one,
It
is
as thou see'st, a
accident.
hit.
open.
Faust.
a lucky
is
Thou shouldst be my
prisoner then.
This
a chance
Mephistopheles.
jumped
get out.
in.
The thing
now
Faust
tlie
window
devils
Mephistophelcs.
law
binding
on
and
phantoms, that they must go out the same way they stole
in.
The
first
is
free to us
we
42
second.
FAUST'S STUDY
Faust
gentlemen
?
Hell itself
has
its
laws
am
be
glad of
it
in
may
Mephistopheles.
to the letter
it.
;
What
is
made from
But
this
we
of
will
speak of
to let
But
you
me go
Faust.
me something
soon come
worth
back
telling.
Mephistopheles.
;
me
go now
will
you may then question me as you like. I have laid no snare for thee thou hast run into the net of thy own free will. Let whoever has got hold of the devil, keep hold of him he will not catch him a second time in a hurry.
Faust.
;
Mephistopheles.
If
you
like,
am
keep
you
Faust.
company
I
here,
but
upon
condition
may
so,
my
arts.
;
attend with
pleasure
you may do
My
friend,
in
you
will gain
more
for your
senses
in this
What
to you, the lovely images which they call up, are not an unsubstantial play of enchantment. Your smell will be charmed, you will then delight your palate, and then your feelings will be entranced.
the
delicate
sing
No
preparation
is
necessary
we
are
all
assembled
strike up
SPIRITS.
in
!
Were
43
FAUST
Melted aw ay
!
in.
Follows after.
And
the fluttering
Where
Deep
lovers.
in
thought,
Give themselves for life. Bower on bower Sprouting tendrils Down-weighing grapes
!
!
Gush
Gush
in
brooks,
Rustle through
Behind them lying, Broaden to seas Around the charm of Green-growing hills. And the winged throng
Sips happiness. Flies to meet the sun,
meet the bright which dancingly Float on the waves Where w-e hear Shouting in choruses,
Flies to
Isles,
Where we
see
;
Some
are clambering
heights,
Over the
FAUST'S STUDY
Over the seas, Others are hovering
All All
Bliss-giving grace.
Mephistopheles.
delicate youngsters
!
He
slumbers
Ye have
fairly
my
airy,
I
sleep.
am
this concert.
Thou
man
visions
in
But
I
to break the
need a
rat's tooth.
have not to
conjure long
one
is
a moment. The lord of rats and mice, of flies, frogs, bugs and lice, commands thee to venture forth and gnaw this threshold so Thou com'st hopping soon as he has smeared it with oil. The point which Instantly to the work forth already!
in
!
me
repelled
me
it
is
is
one
bite
more, and
again.
Now
Am
I
Faust,
dream
once
.''
on,
till
we meet
deceived
?
Faust
{waking).
then
again
Was it in a lying Does the throng of spirits vanish thus dream that the devil appeared to me, and was it a poodle
that escaped
.''
FAUST'S STUDY
Fal'st.
Mephistopheles.
Faust.
OES
Come
is
I.
in
Who
aijain?
Faust.
Come
Mcp/iistophclcs.
so three
times.
Faust.
Come
in,
then
Mephistopheles.
So
I
far,
so good.
;
We
shall
go on
in
hope
like
for,
to chase
away your
a
stiff silk,
am
here,
a youth of condition,
my
to
is
hat,
my
side.
And
my
advice to you
every dress,
life
dare say,
shall
I
feel
the
of this earth.
am
too old
do nothing but
shalt
play,
too young to
What
"
me
be without a wish.
shalt
!
"
Thou
is
rings in
hour
That is every one's ears which our whole life long, every In the morning hoarsely singing to us. wake
renounce
!
"
Thou
46
FAUST'S STUDY
only to horror.
day, which, in
no,
its
I
would
fain
weep
not one
which, with
wayward
captiousness,
weakens
even the presentiment of every joy, and disturbs the creation Then again, of my busy breast by a thousand ugly realities. when night comes round, I must stretch myself in anguish
on
in
my
bed
is
vouchsafed to
me
wild
harrow me
stir
up.
The
my
my
inmost
to
soul, that
sways
all
;
my
energies
he
is
powerless as
is
and thus
existence
a load
life
detestable.
And
yet
death
is
never
an
entirely
welcome
guest.
Faust.
Oh
wreathes the bloody laurel in the glitter of victory whom, after the maddening dance, he finds in a maiden's arms. Oh tliat 1 had sunk away, enrapt, exanimate, before the
great
spirit's
power
Mephistopheles.
a certain
And
brown
Faust.
seems,
is
;
thy amusement.
but
I
know much. Faust. Since a sweet familiar tone drew me from those thronging horrors, and played on what of childlike
Mephistopheles.
am
not omniscient
feeling
remained
in
me
times,
its
my
den of wretchedness Accursed, first, be with blinding and flattering influences. Accursed, the lofty opinion in which the mind wraps itself
jugglery, and spell-binds
in
1
the
blinding
!
of
appearances,
by
of
which
the
our
of
senses
to
are
in
subdued
Accursed, what
plays
the pretender
lasting
us
name
FAUST
as slave and plough
!
Accursed he
Mammon when
he
stirs
us to bold deeds with treasures, when he smooths our couch My curse on the balsam-juice of the for indolent delight
!
grape
My
!
My
curse
on Hope,
Patience
my
my
curse, above
all,
on
CHORUS OF SPIRITS
(iiivisiblc).
Woe, woe, Thou hast destroyed The beautiful world, With violent hand
;
it,
It
tumbles,
it
falls
abroad.
it
A demigod
has shattered
to pieces
We
And
bear away
into nothingness,
wail over
that
is
lost.
Among
Build
it it
Proudlier
Build
up
in
thy bosom
A new
With
Begin,
And new
These are the little ones of my train. Listen, how, with wisdom beyond their years, they counsel you to pleasure and action. Out into the world, away from would they solitariness, where senses and juices stagnate
Mephistopheles.
Cease to trifle with your grief which, like a vulture, The worst company will make you feeds upon your vitals. Yet I do not mean feel that you are a man among men. am none of your great I to thrust you amongst the pack. but if, united with me, you will wend your way men
;
through
life,
will
readily
accommodate myself
48
to be yours
FAUST'S STUDY
upon the spot. I am your companion, and, if it suits you, your servant, your slave to do for you in return ? Faust. And what am For that you have still a long day of grace. Mephistopheles. No, no the devil is an egoist, and is not likely Faust. Speak to do, for God's sake, what is useful to another. servant is a dangerous such a the condition plainly out
!
inmate.
Mephistopheles.
here,
I
will
bind
myself
to
your
service
When we and never sleep nor slumber at your call. as much for me. meet on the other side, you shall do if you first care little about the other side I Faust.
:
world to pieces, the other may arise afterwards My joys flow from this earth, and this sun will. if it I can only separate myself if shines upon my sufferings
knock
this
from them, what will and can, may come to pass. I will hear no more about it whether there be hating and loving in the world to come, and whether there be an Above or
Below
in
Mephistopheles.
yourself
;
Bind
by
my
and during these days, you shall be delighted will give thee what no human being ever I arts
;
saw
mind,
yet.
Faust.
in
?
What, poor
high
if
devil, wilt
thou give
Was
a man's
its
of thee
But
comprehended by the like thou hast food which satisfies not ruddy
aspiring, ever
;
away
in
the hand;
a maiden, who, on
;
my
already ogling
my
neighbour
like
Show me the a meteor joy of honour, which vanishes fruit which rots before it is plucked, and trees which every
day grow green anew. Mephistopheles. Such a task affrights
such treasures at
me
not.
have
the
my
disposal.
49
But,
my good
friend,
FAUST
time will come round
when we may
I
feast on
what
is
really
good
in
peace.
If
Faust.
ever
stretch
myself, calm
and composed,
If
thou canst
offer the
wager.
Mephistopheles.
Done
!
Faust.
passing
cast
If
fair!" then
mayst thou
;
me
into chains
toll
;
then
then
will
readily perish
then
may
the death-bell
art
thy service.
:
The clock may stand, the index-hand may thing no more for me
!
be time a
Mephistopheles.
Think well of
a
perfect
it
we
so
I
shall
bear
it
in
mind.
Faust.
You have
right
to
do.
have
drag formed no rash estimate of myself. As slave; what care I, whether thine or another's.
Mephistopheles.
shall
on,
am
enter upon
against
my
duty as servant.
I
to
line
guard
or two.
accidents,
must
trouble
Hast Pedant, dost thou, too, require writing ? Is it not enough thou never known man nor man's word? that my word of mouth disposes of my days for all eternity?
Faust.
to Does not the world rave on in all its currents, and am be bound by a promise? Yet this prejudice is implanted in our hearts who would willingly free himself from it ? Happy
I
:
the
man who
cause
in
his breast
!
he
will
never
have
repent
is
any
The word
dies
away
What,
in
the mastery.
evil spirit,
in
30
FAUST'S STUDY
marble, parchment, paper
?
Shall
pen
Mephistopheles.
How
in
a passion
will
and overwork your rhetoric in this manner ? Any scrap do you will subscribe your name with a drop of blood.
:
Faust.
If
whim
shall be
complied with.
Mephistopheles.
Blood
is
But fear not that I shall break this compact. What promise, is precisely what all my energies are striving I belong only to thy class. for. I have aspired too high Nature shuts herself The Great Spirit has spurned me have The thread of thought is snapped against me. long loathed every sort of knowledge. Let us quench our glowing passions in the depths of sensuality let every wonder
Faust.
I
:
veil
There pain and pleasure, success and disappointment, may succeed each other as they will man's proper element is restless activity. Mephistopheles. Nor end nor limit is prescribed to you. If it is your pleasure to sip the sweets of every thing, to snatch at all as you fly by, much good may it do you only fall to and don't be coy.
Faust.
I
tell
is
devote
myself
the
intoxicating whirl
agonizing
vexation.
enjoyment
to
enamoured
I
hate
to to
;
the
most
animating
My
all
henceforth bare
heart's core
in
spirit
every pang.
will
enjoy
in
;
my own
grapple
that
is
parcelled out
among mankind
;
whole race upon my breast, and thus dilate individuality to theirs, and perish also, in the end, them.
woe own
of the
my
like
51
FAUST
Mephisfopheles.
years have chewed the cud on this hard food, that, from the
cradle to the bier, no
digests
is
only
made
for a god.
darkness
us he has brought forth into and only day and night are proper for you. But I will. Faust. That is well enough to say But I am Mephisfopheles. only troubled about one thing; time is short, art is long. I
exists in an eternal halo
; !
He
Take
poet
at
to
counsel
set
his
imagination
honoured head,
the
lion's
Italian,
Make him
find
combining
a
magnanimity
set
plan, with
like to
love, after
myself should
know
such a gentleman
Faust.
would
call
What, then, am I, if it be not possible to attain the crown of humanity, which every sense is striving for ? Mephisfopheles. Thou art in the end what thou art. Put on wigs with million of curls set they foot upon ell-high socks, thou abidest ever what thou art. I feel it in vain have scraped together and Faust. accumulated all the treasures of the human mind upon myself and when sit down at the end, still no new power wells up
within
am
the Infinite.
Mephisfopheles.
My
good
;
Sir,
we must manage matters better, before the joys of life pass away from us. What the deuce And you have surely hands and feet, and head and what enjoy with spirit, is that then the less my own ? If
as they are ordinarily seen
! .
can pay for six horses, are not their powers mine
52
am
a proper man, as
if
had four-and-twenty
away
into the
is
tell
like
a barren heath by an
meadow
set about
lies
it ?
everywhere around.
Faust.
How
shall
we
Mephistopheles.
We
What
a place of
martyrdom
what a precious
!
to lead
and a set of youngsters to death. Leave Why will you plague that to your neighbour, Mr. Paunch yourself to thrash straw ? The best that you can know, Even now I hear one in the you dare not tell the lads.
wearying one's
self
passage.
Faust.
The poor boy has waited long he must not be sent away disconsolate. Come, give me your cap and gown the mask will become me to admiration.
Mephistop/ieles.
:
dress.
Now
hour.
trust
to
my
wit.
In the
our pleasant
trip.
[Exit Faust.
in Faust's
gown.
Only despise reason and knowledge, the highest strength of humanity only permit thyself to be confirmed in delusion and sorcery-work by the spirit of lies, and I have thee unconditionally. Fate has given him a spirit which is ever pressing onwards uncurbed, whose overstrained striving o'erleaps the joys of earth. Him will I drag through the He wild passages of life, through vapid unmeaningness. shall sprawl, stand amazed, stick fast, and meat and drink
;
shall
his
craving
lips
devil,
he would, notwithstanding,
[^4
53
FAUST
Student.
devotion,
with, a
to
am pay my
I
but
just
arrived,
to,
and
come,
full
of
respects
and
make acquaintance
by
man whom
all
I
name
to
me
with reverence.
Mephistopheles.
am
flattered
your
yet
politeness.
You
many
others.
Have you
I
made any
I
inquiry elsewhere
Student.
pray you.
come
with
spirits
every good
;
but
money, and youthful my mother could hardly be brought to part with me, would fain learn something worth learning in the
a
little
world.
Mephistopheles.
Student.
You
it.
Honestly
walls,
is
already
wisli
myself
away.
taste.
tree,
These
these
are
by no means to
;
my
The space
exceedingly conhned
;
there
is
not a
and
in
on the benches,
me.
first,
Mephistopheles.
depends on
habit.
Thus, at
kindly to the
in
nourishing
itself.
experience
greater
pleasure
wisdom.
Student.
tell
I
shall
me how
am
to attain
Tell
?
Mephistopheles.
faculty you
fix
I
me
before
upon
Student.
should
like to
comprehend what
upon earth or
in
hea\'en,
You
you must not suffer your attention to be distracted. am heart and soul in the cause. Student. I
relaxation and pastime, to be sure, would not
little
come amiss on
bright
summer
holidays.
54
Make
it
glides
away
But method teaches you to gain time. For this reason, my good friend, I advise you to begin with a course of logic. In this study, the mind is well broken in, laced up in Spanish boots, so that it creeps circumspectly along the path of thought, and runs no risk of flickering, ignis-
Then many
is
unseen
ties,
off at a
and proves to you, it must have would be so, the second so, and therefore the third and fourth so and if the first and second were not, the third and fourth would never be. The students of
philosopher,
he
Your
been so
the
all
weavers.
living,
He who
first to
seeks
spirit
out of
it;
he has then
only,
it
bond
is
wanting.
herself without
encheiresis naturce,
and mocks
Student.
if
Mephistopheles. You will soon improve in that respect, you learn to reduce and classify all things properly.
Student.
I
am
so confounded by
in
all this,
feel as
if
mill-wheel
my
head.
Mephistopheles.
else,
the
next
not
place,
before
everything
brains.
made
human
fine word will stand you in stead for what enters and what does not enter there. And be sure, for this half-year, to adopt the strictest regularity. You will have five lectures
55
8 2
FAUST
every day.
Be
in
as the
clock
strikes.
Be
well
prepared
beforehand with the paragraphs carefully conned, that you may see the better that he says nothing but what is in the
book
yet write
away as
zealously as
if
dictating to you.
not
it
tell
is.
me
black
and white, one can carry home in comfort. Mephistopheles. But choose a faculty. I cannot reconcile myself to jurisprudence. Student. I cannot much blame you. 1 know the Mephistopheles.
nature of
this
science.
;
Laws descend,
trail
like
an inveterate
from generation to generation, and glide imperceptibly from place to place. Reason becomes nonsense beneficence, calamity. Woe to thee that thou art Of the law that is born with us of that, a grandson unfortunately, there is never a question.
hereditary disease
they
Student.
You
increase
I
my
repugnance.
like to
Oh, happy
he,
whom
you instruct.
it
should almost
study theology.
Mephistopheles.
this science,
is is
As
;
for
wrong way
is
there
to
so
much hidden
poison
in
it,
which
hardly
it
be
Here, again,
is
best to
attend but one master, and swear by his words. Generally you will then pass through the speaking, stick to words
;
Student.
only
we must
about that
for
in
it
precisely
where meaning
that
most opportunely. Disputes may be admirably a system may be built with words words form a capital subject for belief a word admits not of an iota being taken from it.
word comes
56
kind as to
Your pardon, I detain you by my many must still trouble you. Would you be so but add a pregnant word or two on medicine. Three
I
years
wide.
is
God knows,
feel one's
is
far
too
If
hint,
one can
way
along
further.
Mephistopheles (aside).
style.
I
The
the end
medicine
easy to be caught
vain
you study
little
as
it
pleases
;
God.
that you
wander
;
scientifically
about
no man
will
learn
he
who
avails
moment
built,
that
will
is
the
proper man.
You
nor
you be
wanting
treat the
in boldness, and
in yourself,
in you.
In particular, learn
!
how
to
and ahs so thousandfold, are to be cured from a single point, and if you only assume a moderately demure air, you will have them all under your thumb. You must have a title, to convince them that your art is superior to most others, and then you are admitted from the first to all those little privileges which
:
women
Learn how to feel the and boldly clasp them, with hot wanton looks,
in
coaxing
see
for.
hip, to
is
how
tightly
it
is
laced.
some sense
in that;
Mephistopheles.
my
all
dear friend,
as a
all
theory, and
life.
vow
to you,
the grounds.
Mephistopheles.
I
am
at
my
poor
abilities.
57
FAUST
Student.
I
my
album
favour.
in
your hands.
Do
With
not grudge
me
this token of
your
Mephistopheles.
all
my
heart.
[He writes and gh'cs
it
back.
Student (reads).
Eritis
sicut
et
malum.
cousin
leave.
Mephistopheles.
old
saying
and
my
your
you, with
Whither now ? Where you please to see the little, Mephistopheles. then the great world. With what joy, what proMt, will you
Faust
(enters).
;
Faust.
But
with
I
my
long
fail
beard,
in
manners
the
of
society.
shall
the attempt.
;
never
in
knew how
feel
so
little
presence of others.
Mephistopheles.
embarrassment.
My
dear friend,
feel
all
that
will
in
come
of
own accord so soon as you you know the art of life. Faust. How, then, are we
its
;
confidence
yourself,
to start ? Where are your and servants. Mephistopheles. We have but to spread out this mantle Only you will take no that shall bear us through the air. on this bold trip. A little inflammable air, heavy baggage which I will get ready, will lift us quickly from this earth and if we are light, we shall mount rapidly. \\'ish you joy of your new course of life.
carriages, horses,
AUERBACH'S CELLAR
IN
LEIPZIG
no one drink
will
no one laugh
Why,
you are
enough.
at other times
Brander.
That
is
your fault
it
:
you
contribute
nothing towards
no
nonsense, no beastliness
Frosch [throws a glass of wine over Brander's head). There are both for you
!
Brander.
Frosch.
Siebel.
With
swill
and shout
am a lost man. Cotton, me here the knave splits my ears. Siebel. It is only when the vault echoes again, that
Altmayer.
!
Woe
is
one feels the true power of the bass. Frosch. Right out with him who takes anything amiss.
:
taralara,
da
59
FAUST
Altmayer.
Frosch.
"
A
Our
taralara
[He sings.
The
?
dear,
Romish
empire,
how
holds
it
still
together
Brander.
!
nasty song
psha,
political
song
life,
an
that
Thank God every morning offensive song you have not the Romish empire to care
esteem
it
of your
for.
I,
at
least,
am
But we cannot do without a head. We will choose a pope. You know what sort of qualification turns the scale, and
elevates the man.
Soar up, Madam Nightingale, give sweetheart ten thousand greetings for me.
Frosch
{sings).
my
Sicbel.
No
will
not hear
of
it.
Frosch.
Greeting to the
Thou
[He sings.
!
Open Open
Shut
Siebel.
in stilly night.
dawn.
Aye, sing,
sing
on,
and
praise
and
celebrate
in
her
my
!
May
He may
toy with
An
old
on his return from the Blocksberg, may wicker good night to her on the gallop. A hearty fellow of genuine flesh and blood is far too good for the wench. I will hear of no greeting, unless it be to smash her windows. Brander {striking on the table.) Attend, attend listen You gentlemen must allow me to know something to me Love-sick folks sit here, and I must give them of life. something suitable to their condition by way of good night. Attend a song of the newest cut and strike boldly in with
;
the chorus.
60
[He sings.
CELLAR
"
IN
LEIPZIG
There was a rat in the cellar who lived on nothing but fat and butter, and had raised himself up a paunch fit for Doctor Luther himself. The cook had laid poison for him then the world became too hot for him, as if he had love in
;
his body.
Chorus.
"
"
As
if
he had love
in his
body."
;
He
he gnawed
beast
"
and
;
scratched
availed nothing
the poor
Chorus.
as was soon done " As if," &c. He came running into the
daylight,
pitiably.
is fell
he had love
in
his body.
open
panted
on
the
earth
and
lay
convulsed, and
Ha
he
he had love
in his
body."
Chorus.
Siebel.
"As
if,"
&c.
flats
How
the
chuckle
It is
a fine thing, to be
They stand high in your favour, I dare say. The misadventure Altmayer. The bald-pated paunch makes him humble and mild. He sees in the swollen rat his own image drawn to the life.
Brander.
!
Before
all
things else,
merry company, that you may see how lightly life may With These people make every day a feast. be passed. little wit and much self-complacency, each turns round in the narrow circle-dance, like kittens playing with their tails. So long as they have no headache to complain of, and so long as they can get credit from their host, they are merry and free from care. Brander. They are just off a journey; one may see as
6i
FAUST
much from
an hour.
Frosch.
is
their strange
manner.
Thou
art right
Leipsig
me
it
its
folks a finish.
Frosch.
I
What do you take the strangers to be ? Let me alone in the drinking of a bumper
;
will
worm
it
They appear
Brander.
Alt may er.
Frosch.
me
to
be noble
discontented look.
Mountebanks
to a certainty,
wager.
Likely enough.
Now mark
to
if
will
Mephistopheles
scent the devil,
Faust.
never
Faust.
Siebel.
Mephistophelhs askance.
Why
you.
Mephistopheles.
sit
down with
We
Frosch.
shall
is
liquor,
which
Altinayer.
I
dainty gentleman.
?
Did
you sup w
to-day.
ith
Mephistopheles.
We
we
;
passed
him
us
without
stopping
The
last
time
he charged
compliments
to
Altmayer
thing or two.
Siebel.
(aside).
Thou
!
hast
it
there
he
knows a
Frosch.
MepJiistopJi-eles.
am
not
62
mistaken,
we
heard some
CELLAR
echo admirably from
Frosch.
I
IN
LEIPZIG
?
No doubt
singing
must
Mephistopheles.
desire
is
Oh, no
The power
is
strong.
Altmayer.
Give us a song.
Mephistopheles.
Siebel.
As many as you
be brand new.
like.
Only
let it
Mephistopheles.
fair land of
We
wine and song. [He sings. There was once upon a time a king who had a great flea" Frosch. Hark A flea Did you catch that A flea
"
!
is
Mephistopheles (sings).
a king
;
"
he had a great
his
flea,
had been
came.
'
own
son.
Then he
measure the youngster for clothes, and measure him for breeches.' " Brandcr. Only don't forget to impress it on the tailor to measure with the greatest nicety, and, as he loves his
There,
head, to
sit
smoothly.
Mephistopheles (sings).
"
He was now
attired in velvet
had a cross besides, and was forthwith made minister, and had a great star. Then his brothers and sisters also became great folks. And the
silk,
and
his coat,
and gentlemen at court were dreadfully tormented from the queen to the waiting-woman they were pricked and bitten, yet dared not crack nor scratch them away. But we crack and stifle fast enough when one pricks." Chorus. " But we crack," &c. Frosch. Bravo bravo That was capital. Siebel. So perish every flea. Brander. Point your fingers, and nick them cleverly.
ladies
! !
63
FAUST
Altmayer.
Liberty for ever
I
!
Wine
for ever
would willingly drink a glass in honour of liberty, were your wine a thought better. Siebel. You had better not let us hear that again Mephistopheles. I am afraid the landlord would feel hurt, or would treat these worthy gentlemen out of our
Mephistopheles.
!
own
stock.
Siebel.
O, bring
it
in
Frosch.
we
shall
not
be
be too
for
if
am
to
require a regular
mouthful.
Altmayer
Brander.
the door
?
(aside).
guess.
Mephistopheles.
What
You
is
Altmayer.
Behind there,
Frosch).
Now
say,
to taste
Have you
so
many
sorts?
Altmayer
ah'eady.
Frosch).
Ah
lips
Frosch.
wine.
Well
if
am
to
will
take
Rhine
Our
Mephistopheles {boring a hole in the edge of the table where Frosch is sitting). Get a little wax to make stoppers
immediately.
Altmayer.
Ah
I
Mephistopheles
Brander).
And you
and
Brander.
sparkling.
choose
champagne,
let
it
be
right
[Mephistopheles bores
time prepared the
one of
the
others has
in
the
mean
the holes,
64
CELLAR
One cannot always
lies
IN LEIPZIG
is
avoid what
foreign
what
is
good often
so far
off.
true
German cannot
Mephistopheles approaches him). I must own do not like acid wine give me a glass of genuine sweet. You shall have Tokay in a Mephistopheles (bores).
Siebel (as
;
twinkling.
Altmayer.
plainly
No, gentlemen
look
me
in
the face.
see
you are only making fun of us. Ha ha that would be taking too great a liberty with such distinguished guests. Quick only speak out at once. What wine can I have the pleasure of serving
Mephistopheles.
!
!
you with
Altmayer.
With any
in asking.
and
stopped.
gesttires).
The vine bears grapes. The he-goat bears horns. Wine is juicy, vines are wood The wooden table can also give wine.
;
faith
Now draw
All (as they
draw
and
the
wine he chose
Oh
Mephistopheles.
spill
any of
it.
All
(sing).
We
As
hundred swine. Mephistopheles. These people are now mark how merry they are.
Faust.
I
in
their glory
FAUST
Mephistopheles.
But
first
attend
(drinks
carelessly
to
the
Xi'ine
!
is
!
spilt
upon
Hell
the
is
ground,
burning.
and
turns
Jlame).
Help
fire
help
Be
quiet, friendly
{To Siebel.)
This time
that be
it
of the
purgatory.
Siebel.
What may
Hold
you
us.
shall
pay dearly
for
it.
It
Frosch.
He
I
Altmayer.
quietly.
we had
better
send
him packing
Siebel.
What,
Sir,
off
your hocuspocus
here
Mephistopheles.
Siebel.
too.
against him).
Siebel.
draw
their knives
place.
!
Altmayer.
Frosch.
Siebel.
Where am
Vineyards
!
What
I
a beautiful country
Can
believe
my
eyes
And grapes
close at
hand
Brander.
stem
66
CELLAR
Mephistopheles
{as
IN
LEIPZIG
Error,
loose the
devil's
be/ore).
bandage
mode
of
Faust.
The fellows
start back
Altmayer.
Frosch.
thy nose
Brander
limb
{to
And
I
have thine
in
my hand
Altmayer.
!
was
Give
me
a chair,
Frosch.
Siebel.
No, do but
has happened
I
meet with him, it Where is the fellow? If much as his life is worth. shall be as myself saw him at the cellar door, riding Altmayer.
I
My
feet feel as
heavy as
lead.
My
wonder whether the wine is running still ? It was all a cheat, a lie, and a make-believe. Siebel. Frosch. Yet it seemed to me as if I was drinking wine. Brander. But how was it with the grapes ?
I
Altmayer.
tell
me
is
WITCH'S KITCHEN
A
lari^e
cauldron
is
fire
on a low hearth.
Different
fumes wliich rise from it. A Female Monkey is sitting by the cauldron and skimming it, and taking care that it The Male Monkey is seated near with the young does not run over. ones, and warming himself. The xcalls and ceiling are hung with
figures are seen in the
tlie
Faust.
LOATHE
that
of
I
this
witchcraft.
shall
recover
chaos
this
insanity.
Do
.''
need an old
will
hag's
advice
And
.''
thirty
if
really
take
is
Woe
me,
you
know
of
nothing
is
already gone.
My
also
in
friend,
wisely
youth.
There But it
Let
is
is
a strange
chapter.
Faust.
Mephistopheles.
me know
!
it.
Well
to have a
begin to hack and dig, conhne thyself and thy sense within
68
WITCH'S KITCHEN
a thoroughly
contracted circle
food
to
live
no robbery
manure the land you crop. That me, to keep you young to eighty.
Faust.
I
am
not used to
it.
The confined life does not suit me at all. Then you must have recourse to the
in
witch after
Faust.
all.
particular?
Cannot
That were a pretty pastime I would rather build a thousand bridges in the time. Not art and
!
is
A
this
quiet
fine
busy at
it
for years
And
cannot
pretty
The make
devil,
it.
it
is
(Perceiving
Monkeys).
the
is
See what a
lad.
that
{To
?
the
not at
home
Monkeys.
At the
feast.
How
Whilst
The Monkeys.
creatures
?
we
are
What
I
The most
what
Tell
I
disgusting
ever saw.
like
Mephistopheles.
Nay, a
discourse
the
present
is
Monkeys).
fondest of engaging in. {To the me, accursed whelps, what are ye stirring
am
up with the porridge ? Monkeys. We are cooking coarse beggars' broth. Mephistopheles. You will have plenty of customers.
69 F
FAUST
The
He
Motihey
(approaches
and fawns o
Mephis-
TOPHELES).
quick throw the dice,
My
1
And had
for consideration.
Mephistopheles.
himself,
if
How
happy
the
[Tlic
the
it
been playing
roll
forn'ards.
And
It
rolls unceasingly.
:
How
It is
It
glitters
still
much
!
here.
And
I
more here
am
alive
My
dear son,
aloof
die
!
It is of clay.
What
{takes
is
it
The He Monkey
should
Wert thou
a thief,
know thee
at once.
to the
[He runs
sieve
And
WITCH'S KITCHEN
Mephistopheles {approaching the
fire).
And
this pot
The Monkeys.
The
half-witted sot
He knows He knows
Mephistopheles.
Uncivil brute
here,
and
sit
down on
sit
down,
Faust
(who
all
this
time
now approaching and noic standing off' from it). see ? What a Iieavenly image shows itself in What do O Lo\e lend me the swiftest of thy this magic mirror Ah when do not wings, and bear me to her region venture to go near, can remain upon this spot, when mist. woman The loveliest image of a only see her as in a
looking-glass,
I
! !
Is
it
possible,
is
woman
so
lovely
Must
see in these
recumbent limbs the innermost essence of all Heavens ? Is there anything like it upon earth. Mephistopheles. When a God first works hard for six days, and himself says bravo at the end, it is but natural that something clever should come of it. For this time look I your fill. knovv' where to find out such a love for you, and happy he whose fortune it is to bear her home as a
bridegroom. 'fc>'
[Faust
coutiniies
looking
into
the
mirror.
Mephistopheles,
xcith
tlie
stretcliiug
Iiimself
on
the
settle
and playing
Here
sceptre
sit,
like
here
is
my
want the crown. The Monkeys {who have hitherto been playing all sorts of strange antics, bring Mephistopheles a crown, with loud acclamations). Oh, be so good as to glue the crown with
I
only
F 2
FAUST
[They
handle
the
crown
it
into
tzco
pieces, with
Now
it
done.
;
We We
almost
Woe
is
me
am becoming
l\ly
mad
own head
Monkeys.
And
Faust
but
let
{as
before).
My
breast
is
beginning to burn.
Do
us begone immediately.
same
position).
chimney.
the
The Witch
Damned
beast
Accursed sow
dame
Cursed beast
[Espying Faust and Mephistopheles.
What now ?
Who
Who
are ye
What would
The plague
ye here
in ?
WITCH'S KITCHEN
[She dips
tlic
skiniining
at
ladle into
the
cauldron, and
sprinkles flames
the
Monkeys.
Mephistopheles
in his hand,
{who
inverts
xvliidi
he holds
and
strikes
amongst
!
the glasses
and
pots).
To To
pieces
pieces
lies
There
It
is
the porridge
!
beating
to thy melody.
Witch
and amazement.
Dost Dost thou know me, thou atomy, thou scarecrow ? What is there to hinder thou know tliy lord and master ? me from striking in good earnest, from dashing thee and thy Hast thou no more any respect monkey-spirits to pieces ?
for the
red doublet
?
?
feather
Have
Witch.
Must
then
name
myself
The But
I
master,
pardon this
rough
reception.
?
Where
Mephistopheles.
to be sure,
it
may
serve.
For,
is
some while
which
devil.
we saw
each other.
The
march
of intellect too,
licks all
now no
more
to be seen.
Where do you
society
;
And
cannot do without,
prejudice
me
in
therefore, like
many
a gallant,
have worn false calves these many years. The Witch (dancing). I am almost beside myself, to see the gallant Satan here again.
Mephistopheles.
The Witch.
but
The name, woman, beg to be spared. Wherefore ? What has it done to you ?
I
Mephistopheles.
It
in
story books;
rid
men
they are
of
the
FAUST
wicked one, the wicked have remained. Baron, that will do very well. I am a
cavaliers.
You may
cavalier,
call
me
like
other
You doubt
arms
not of
I
my
I
gentle
blood
see here,
bear
The Witch (laughs immoderately). Ha, ha your way. You are the same mad wag as ever.
Mcphistoplieles
[to
That
is
in
Faust).
My
friend,
attend to
this.
This
is
the
way
The Witch.
I
Now,
sirs,
for.
Mephistopheles.
A
let
to
good glass of the juice you wot of. it be of the oldest. Years double
willingly.
its
The which
Most
Here
give
is
;
bottle
out of
besides,
sometimes
(Aside).
sip
little
I
myself
which,
least.
if
will
But
this
man
drinks
unprepared,
live
is
an hour.
worthy friend of mine, on whom it will have a good effect. I grudge him not the best Draw thy circle, spell thy spells, and give of thy kitchen. him a cup full.
a
[The Witch,
xcitli strange gestures, draics a circle and places rare things in it; in the mean time, the glasses begin to ring, and the cauldron to sound, and make ntnsic. Lastly, she brings a great book, and places the Monkeys in the circle, xcho are made to serve
He
Iter
She signs
to
Faust
to
approach.
(to
all
Faust
Mephistopheles).
this
?
But
tell
me what
these
is
to
come
of
This
absurd
apparatus,
^
frantic
gestures,
this
most disgusting
jugglery
know them
of
Mephistopheles.
Pooh
that
is
only
is
fit
to laugh at.
oft'
Don't
be so fastidious.
As mediciner she
obliged to play
some
circle.
may operate
74
well on you.
WITCH'S KITCHEN
The Witch {with a strong emphasis, begins
to
declaim
from
the book).
You must understand, Of one make ten, And let two go. And three make even Then art thou rich.
Lose the
four.
eight,
is
done.
is
And And
nine
one,
ten
is
none,
That is the witches one-times-one. It seems to me that the hag is raving. Faust. Mephistopheles. There is a good deal more of it yet know it well the whole book is to the same tune. I have wasted many an hour upon it, for a downright contradiction
I
;
folks
and
fools.
My
It
to spread error instead of truth by three and one, and one and three. It is taught and prattled uninterruptedly. Who will concern themselves about dolts ? Men are wont to believe, when they hear only words, that there must be something in it. The Witch continues. The high power
Of knowledge,
Hidden from the whole world And he who thinks not. On him is it bestowed
;
Faust.
He What
has
it
without trouble.
is
sort of nonsense
75
she reciting to us
FAUST
My
head
is
splitting
seem
to
idiots
declaiming
in full chorus.
Enough, enough, excellent Sibyl! Hand the cup to the brim without more ado; do my friend no harm. He is a man
many
[Tlic
grades, who has taken many a good gulp already. Witch xi-ith many ceremonies pours the liquor into a cup; as
Faust
lifts
it
to his luouth
lit^iit
flume arises.
It
Down
soon
with
it
at
once.
heart.
Do
fire
?
not stand
hesitating.
will
warm your
Are you
Witch
hail-fellow
well-met witli
Faust
steps out.
Now
You must not rest. The Witch. Much good may the draught do you. Mephistopheles {to the Witch). And if can do any
forth at once
!
it
to
me on
Walpurgis' night.
The Witch.
it
Here
{to
is
a song
if
you sing
quick,
it
occasionally,
will
Mephistopheles
it
Come
1
and be guided
is
make the
feel
spirit
will
afterwards teach
will
and you
bestirs
ere
how Cupid
himself and
bounds hither and thither. Faust. Let me only look another moment in the glass. That female form was too, too lo^'ely. Nay, nay you shall soon see the model Mephistopheles. (Aside.) of all womankind in Hesh and blood. With this draught in your body, you will soon see an Helen in every
;
woman.
THE STREET
Faust (Margaret passing
by).
you
Margaret.
pretty,
nor
exit.
Faust.
lovely!
her.
I
By
heaven,
this
girl
is
like of
She
is
so well-behaved
The redness of her lip, the light shall never forget them all the days of of her cheek my life. The manner in which she cast down her eyes and how tart she was is deeply stamped upon my heart [Mephistopheles enters. it was absolutely ravishing
thing snappish withal.
Faust.
Faust.
me
the
girl.
Mephistopheles.
Which
She
all
came
sins.
from
I
her
confessor,
who
her
stole
up
for
an innocent
little
thing, that
I
went
Over her
speak
Yet she
is
past fourteen.
positively
like
Mephistopheles.
You
who
there
is
not to be had
But
always do.
FAUST
Faust.
My
your morality.
And,
good Mr. Sermoniser, don't plague me with in a word, I tell you this if the sweet
:
lie
this
very night
in
my
I
arms, at
at an end.
is
Consider what
possible.
need a
Faust.
Had
You
it,
I
talk
beg.
a Frenchman
to
go straight
enjoyment ? The delight is not so great by far, as when you have kneaded and moulded the doll on all sides with all sorts of nonsense, as many a French story teaches. Faust. But I have appetite without all that. Mephistopheles. Now, seriously and without offence, I tell you once for all, that the lovely girl is not to be had in nothing here is to be taken by storm we such a hurry must have recourse to stratagem. Faust. Get me something belonging to the angel. get me a kerchief from Carry me to her place of repose
; ;
;
my
love.
That
you
may
see
my
anxiety
;
to
this
we
She
moment
very day
Faust.
And
shall
see her
have her
in
Mephistopheles.
No.
all
will
be at a neighbour's.
In
alone,
and
her atmosphere,
may
Faust. Faust.
That's the
Can we go now
It is
Mephistopheles.
too early.
[E.vit.
!
That's capital
fine place
way
to succeed
know many a
I
and
bit.
many
a long-buried
treasure.
g
[Exit.
EVENING
A
neat
little
Room.
hair).
WOULD
family
give
something to
know who
!
that gentleman
was to-day
is
I
He
had
a gallant
I
bearing, and
of a noble
am
brow
sure.
;
on
his
besides, he
would not
[Exit.
else have
been so impudent.
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles.
Fal'st.
softly as possible
Come
in
as
only
come
Faust
in
[after
a pause).
Leave me
It
is
alone,
beg of
you.
so neat.
[looking
Faust
of love,
round).
!
Welcome, sweet
twilight,
that
Possess
my
heart, delicious
pangs
you who
live
languishing on the
dew
of hope
What
!
What abundance
in this
poverty
liimsetf
What
[He
titroxc's
79
FAUST
Oh
in
!
who
Ah,
how
often has a
throne.
swarm
Here, perhaps,
with the
has
my
beloved
Maiden,
abundance and order breathe round me that spirit which daily instructs thee like a mother which bids thee spread the cloth neatly upon the table and curl Dear hand so godlike you make the sand at thy feet. and here {He lifts up a bed-curtain) the hut a heaven linger for Here could what blissful tremor seizes me Nature here, in light dreams, you matured whole hours
feel thy spirit of
with
warm
life;
Here lay the child its gentle bosom filled and here, with wcavings of hallowed puritj^
!
the divine image developed itself. And thou, what has brought thee hither
moved
feel
What
?
heart so heavy
Am
for
>
in
instant
Poor Faust, no longer know thee. panted so enchanted atmosphere ? enjoyment, and feel myself dissolving into a
an
dream
air
of love.
of
And
would
if
how
alas,
would'st thou
The
Quick
!
big
boaster,
how
small
Mephistopheles.
Away, away I return no more. I Here is a casket tolerably heavy. Mephistopheles. place it instantly in the took it from somewhere else. Only swear to you, she will be fairly beside herself. press here. but child is child, and I put baubles in it to gain another
Faust.
I
;
play
is
play.
I
Faust.
know not
shall
80
MARGARET'S ROOM
Mephistopheles.
Is that
a.
Perchance
you mean to keep the treasure for yourself ? In that case advise you to spare the precious hours for your lusts, and I I I hope you are not avaricious. further trouble to me. hands scratch my head, rub my
[He places the casket
in tlie
bend the sweet young creature to your heart's desire and now you look as if you were going as if Physic and Metaphysic were to the lecture-room
to
But away
close,
it
[Exeunt.
It
feels
so
so
sultry
-uniidozi\]
begin to feel
not so very
I
wish
but
I
tremble
all
over
[She begins
to sing
SONG.
There was a king in Thule, Faithful even to the grave,
He He
it;
emptied
it
at every feast;
to die.
in
his
kingdom
to his heir,
goblet.
FAUST
He
sat at the royal banquet,
his knights
With
around him,
There stood the old toper. Took a parting draught of life's glow, And threw the hallowed goblet
Down
He saw
Deep
His eyes
[Site
it
splash,
fill
and sink
he never
clothes,
and perceives
?
I
the casket.
How came
locked the
this
It
beautiful
is
casket here
!
am
is
sure
in
it,
press.
very strange
What
wonder ? Perhaps some one brought it as a pledge, and my mother lent upon it. A little key hangs by the ribbon; have a good mind to open it. What is this ? Good heavens
I
!
look
like
it
in
all
my
?
born
days
How
To
whom
If
figure
them.
all
What
pity
That may be
hangs
it all
be.
You
gold
on
everything. Alas,
PUBLIC WALK
Faust walking up and down thoughtfully.
Mephis toph eles
To him
all
despised
!
love
By
I
!
the elements of
hell
Would
that
knew something
?
worse to curse by
Faust.
is
it
What
is
the matter
so
in
What
?
I
sharply
my
life.
were
brain
no devil myself.
?
Faust.
Is
your
disordered
It
becomes
has
you
madman.
think
!
Mephistopheles.
carried off the jewels
Only
priest
The
nose,
is
ever
snuffling
in
and begins at once to Truly the woman hath her prayer-book, and
in
much
it
blessing in them.
"
My
;
We
is
Mother of God she will gladden Margaret made a wry face it us with heavenly manna."
consecrate
to the
;
after
all,
thought she, a
gift
horse
and
truly,
he cannot
83
FAUST
be godless,
who brought
it
here so handsomely.
The mother
jest,
but he
He
;
spoke
"
is
This shows
the gainer.
who conquers
himself,
he
The church
my good woman,
That
too.
is
it
Faiisf.
a general custom
can do
So saying he swept off clasp, chain and ring, as if they were so many mushrooms thanked them neither more nor less than if it had been a basket of nuts; promised them all heavenly reward and very much
Mephistopheles.
;
Faust.
sitting full
;
of restlessness
not
knowing what
the
to
her.
to do with herself
and
still
more
on
Faust.
My
set immediately.
The
first
!
Mephistopheles.
Oh
child's
play to
the gentleman
Faust.
Do
it,
and order
it
as
wish.
Stick close to
;
her neighbour.
and fetch
Sir.
With
all
my
heart,
honoured
[Faust
exit.
away
moon and
forgive
my
dear husband
he has
He
goes
and leaves lonely. Yet truly never did anything to vex him God knows I loved him to my heart. {She\ xveeps.) Perhaps he is actually dead.
world,
I
;
Oh, torture
Had
Margaret
Margaret
Martha.
Margaret.
.
enters.
M a rth a
What
is
My
just
knees
such
quite
almost
grand,
sink
under
in
have
of
found
another
casket
far
me my press,
I
ebony,
and
things
costlier
than
the
first.
Martha. You must say nothing about it to your mother. She would carry it to the confessional again. Margaret. Now, only see do but look at them Martha {dresses her up in them). Oh you happy
!
!
creature.
Margaret.
in
Unfortunately,
in
them
G
FAUST
Martha.
Do
but
come over
in
private.
;
Walk
shall
down
in
we
that.
And then an
little
occasion offers, a
holiday
happens,
;
where,
chain,
will
by
the
little,
one
or
lets
folks
see
them
first
then
not
pearl
it,
earrings.
observe
one
to her.
Margaret.
caskets
?
But
is
who
could
the
two
There
Margaret.
Good God
my mother
It is
Martha come in
!
a stranger-
MephistopJieles
at once
;
{enters).
in
came
Martha Schwerdtlein.
your pleasure. Sir
I
Martha.
enough.
am
she
what
is
that
is
You have
I
a visitor of distinction
I
Excuse
the liberty
have taken.
{aloud).
Only think, child of all things in the world this gentleman takes you for a lady. Heavens, Margaret. I am a poor young creature. Oh the gentleman is too obliging. The jewels and ornaments are none of mine.
! !
Martha
Mephistophclcs.
Ah
it
is
She
I
How
.-'
glad
am
that
may
Martha.
will
What do you
I
bring then
I
am
very curious
I
Mephistopheles.
wish
hope you
dead, and
not
make me
suffer for
it.
Your husband
is
dead
!
the good
I
soul
!
Oh, woe
is
me
My
husband
dead
Ah,
shall die
Margaret. Margaret.
in
Mephistopheles.
For
reason
should wish
never to be
love for
all
the days of
my
life.
The
loss
would grieve
joy.
me
to death.
Mephistopheles.
sorrow,
life.
Martha.
in
Relate to
me
lies
Mephistopheles.
He
Padua
at St. Antony's,
Martha.
to have three
else for
me
?
!
Mephistopheles.
be sure
hundred masses sung for him. For the rest, my pockets are empty. Martha. What not a coin by way of token Not a trinket what every journeyman mechanic husbands at the bottom of his pouch, saved as a keepsake, and rather
!
.''
.''
Mephistopheles.
really has not
am
his
very
sorry.
But
he
money.
should
He
be
also bitterly
ill-luck still
more.
1
Ah
that
mortals
so
unlucky
Assuredly
will sing
Mephistopheles.
directly.
You
are a sweet
girl.
Margaret.
Mephistopheles.
meantime.
It
were one
That
is
heaven to have
Margaret.
pass though.
Mephistopheles.
Custom or
relate to
Martha.
But
me
87
2
FAUST
Mephistopheles.
I
stood
by
his
death-bed.
;
It
was
somewhat
upon
a
better than
dung,
of
half-rotten straw
still
but he
"How
!
thoroughly," he cried,
myself
to
my
business and
is
my
wife
in
If
such
she
manner.
Oh
the recollection
death to me.
me
in
this life
"
! !
Martha
(weeping).
forgiven him.
Mepliistopheles.
" But,
than
I."
Martlia.
He
lied
then
What,
tell
lies
on the brink of
the grave
Mephistopheles.
if
I
He
a
am
but
half
connoisseur.
said
he,
"
had
no
first
to get children,
and then
could
and
bread
in
in
and
my
my
share
peace."
all
Martha.
my
truth,
all
love
my
it.
Not so
I
he affectionately reflected on
left Malta, I prayed fervently for and heaven was so far favourable, that our ship took a Turkish vessel, which carried a treasure Bravery had its reward, and, as was of the great sultan.
He
said
"
When
my
right,
How
got my Where
!
fair
share of
it."
Mephistopheles.
Who
A fair damsel took an winds of heaven ? him as he was strolling about, a stranger, interest in She showed great fondness and fidelity towards in Naples. him so much so, that he felt it even unto his blessed
the
four
;
end.
MartJia.
The
villain
And
the wretchedness,
life.
all
the
poverty, could
scandalous
But consider, he has paid for it with would mourn him for in your place, his life. Now, were one chaste year, and have an eye towards a new sweetheart
Mephistopheles.
I I
in
the meantime.
Martha.
find
another
fool
easily in this
world
too
hardly be a kinder-
hearted
he
only
loved
being
much, and
stranger
the
cursed dicing.
Mephistopheles.
very well,
for
if
I
he, on
you.
protest,
upon
!
this
condition,
would change
jest.
off.
I
Martha.
is
it
pleased to
is
Mephistopheles [aside).
Now
it
full
time to be
{To Margaret).
Margaret.
Farewell, ladies
How
goes
Mephistopheles (aside).
Good, innocent
(Aloud).
to
Margaret.
Farewell
Martha.
Oh, but
tell
me
quickly
should
like
my
was
buried.
was always a
in
like to
the paper.
Mephistopheles.
Aye,
my
a
good
of
manifested
by
;
the
testimony
I
world
will
over
bring
and
have
gallant
for
whom
fetch
before
the
judge
you.
will
him
here.
Martha.
Oh, pray do
Mephistopheles.
And
FAUST
a
fine
lad
has
travelled
much,
and
shows
all
possible
Margaret.
confusion
in
the
Martha.
shall
Behind
the
house,
my
garden,
we
THE STREET
Faust M ephistopheles.
Fausf.
t}'^
goes
soon do
? it ?
Is
it
in
train
Will
it
Mephistoplieles.
you
see
all
on
at
fire ?
shortly be yours.
her
is
her
neighbour
Martha's.
This
it
woman
especially chosen, as
So
far so good.
Mephistoplieles.
of
us.
Something,
however,
is
required
Faust.
One good
that
Mephistoplieles.
We
have only to
make a formal
deposition
in
the
We shall Wisely done take the journey thither, I suppose simplicitas Mephistopheles. Sancta necessity for that. Only bear witness much about the matter.
Faust.
!
.''
first
be obliged to
There
without
no knowing
is
91
FAUST
Faust.
If
you
have
nothing
better
to
propose,
the
scheme
Is
it
is
at
Mcphistophdcs.
the
first
?
now
time
your
life
that you
testimony
confidently
given definitions of
God, of the world, and of whatever moves in it of man, and of the workings of his head and heart with unabashed And, looking fairly at the real nature front, dauntless breast ?
of things, did
you
you
art
did
you
know
death
!
as
much
of these
Faust.
Thou
Mephisiopheles.
and ever wilt be a liar, a sophist. Aye, if one did not look a little deeper.
you
not, in all
To-morrow,
Faust.
too, will
honour,
make a
all
fool of
.''
your soul
And
truly
from
my
heart.
!
Mephistophclcs.
eternal truth and love
Fine talking
Then
all
}
will
you speak of
of one
!
exclusive,
subduing passion;
Faust.
feel,
none
grasp
my
senses
through
the
world,
which
most consuming
the
is
am
right for
this,
I
that.
Faust.
lungs.
Hear
mark
my
He who
is
But come,
am
I
tired of
right, particularly
because
cannot
help myself.
GARDEN
Margaret
07i
AM
with
me
letting
yourself
down
wont
to
to
shame me.
I
Travellers are
know
my
poor prattle
cannot entertain a
rience.
man
a
of your expe-
Faust.
thee,
glance,
all
gives
greater
pleasure
than
this world.
Margaret.
Don't
it.''
inconvenience
is
yourself
so
How
I
It
so
coarse,
hard.
have
;
been
obliged
is
to
do
heaven
Sir,
knows what
are
not
my
in
mother
this
Martha.
And
?
you,
always
travelling
manner
Mephistopheles.
Alas,
that
business
and
duty
should force us to
regret,
it
How many
it
!
a place
in the wild years of youth, rove about freely through the world. to But the evil day
93
FAUST
comes
grave
at last,
that
was never
I
and to sneak a solitary old bachelor to the well for any one yet.
shudder at the distant view of
Sir, think better of
it
it.
Mephistoplieles.
Martha.
Margaret.
sits
Then, worthy
in
time.
Aye
you.
Politeness
;
easily on
they
am.
!
Faust.
is
believe
me, what
of vanity
called
sensible, often
name
and narrow-mindedness.
Margaret.
Faust.
How
Alas,
that
its
simplicity,
that
innocence,
!
never
the
highest
of
nature
minute
shall
You
are
much
alone,
dare say
is
Margaret.
it
must be looked
mother
is
We
in
keep no maid
am
obliged to
cook, sweep, knit and sew, and run early and late.
And my
Not that she has such might do more than many others. My father left a nice little property a small house and garden in the suburbs. However, my days at
so precise
everything
We
My
my
all
brother
full
is
a soldier
my
sister
is
dead.
had
her,
but
myself
again, so dear
Faust.
Margaret.
brought
it
up,
and
it
loved
me
dearly.
It
was born
after
my
father's death.
We
gave up
my mother
;
was the
and she
GARDEN
recov^ered
very
slowly,
by degrees.
little
think
up,
all
of
worm, and so
brought
it
own.
by myself, with milk and water. It thus became my On my arm, in my bosom, it smiled, and sprawled,
and grew.
You felt, no doubt, the purest joy. Margaret. And many anxious hours too. The
Faust.
cradle stood at night by
little
one's
my
bed-side
it
it
could scarcely
drink
;
move
but
it
was awake
would not be quiet, to rise from bed, and walk up and down in the room dandling and early in the morning, stand already at the wash-tub it and so on, day then go to market and see to the house Under such circumstances. Sir, one is not always after day. in spirits but food and rest relish the better for it.
to
;
give
it
now
to take
[Tlicy
pass on.
It is
Martha.
of
it.
you to teach
me
better.
Martha.
Tell
me
plainly.
Sir,
any one
Has your heart never attached itself any where ? Mephistopheles. The proverb says a hearth of one's
.''
mean, have you never had an inclination ? I have been in general very politely Mephistopheles.
Martha.
I
received.
Martha.
affected
?
wished to say
Mephistopheles.
One
women.
Martha.
Ah, you do not understand me.
I
Mephistopheles.
am
heai'tily
sorry
for
it.
But
understand
that
kind.
FAUST
Faust.
I
You knew me
again, you
little
angel, the
moment
eyes.
it ?
cast
down my
I
And
I
you
forgive
the
liberty
took
my
was frightened
;
happened to me before no one could say any thing bad of me. Alas, thought I, has he seen any thing bold, unmaidenly, in thy behaviour ? It seemed as if the thought suddenly struck him, " need stand on no ceremony with this girl." must own, knew not what began to stir in your favour here but certainly I was right angry with myself for not being able to be more angry with jou.
I
I
Faust.
tlic
Iciivcs
Faust.
Faust.
What
is
that for
nosegay
.'
Margaret.
How
Margaret.
Faust.
Go
You
will
to herself.
he loves me
not
Faust.
Margaret continues.
Faust.
thee
Yes,
Loves me
my
child.
as a judgment
from
He
loves thee
tremble
all
over
let
this pressure
!
the
hand,
what
95
is
unutterable
to
give
GARDEN
ourselves up wholly, and feel a bliss which must be eternal
Eternal
its
No, no end
no end
and
[Margaret presses his hands, breaks from away. He stands a moment in thought, and
Jiiiii,
runs
tlien
follows her.
Martha {approachhig).
Mephistoplielcs.
The
night
is
coming
on.
Aye, and we will away. would ask you to stay here longer, but it is much too wicked a place. One would suppose no one had any other object or occupation than to gape after his neighbour's incomings and outgoings. And one comes to be And our pair of lovers ? talked about, behave as one will. Mephistopheles. Have Hown up the walk yonder. Wanton
Martha.
butterflies
Martha.
the world.
He seems
fond of her.
of
Mephistopheles.
And she
him.
Such
is
the
way
of
SUMMER HOUSE
in, gets
Margaret runs
tip
lips,
and peeps
Margaret.
COMES
Faust
thus
[enters)
tfitle
Ah, rogue,
is
it
you
with
me
have
her.
caught you at
last.
[He kisses
Margaret
returning
iJie
I
(embracing
kiss).
him
!
and
from
Dearest
!
my
Faust (stamping).
Mephistoplieles.
heart
love thee
[Mei'mistophelhs knocks.
Who
A
It
is
there
friend.
Faust.
brute.
is
Mephistopheles.
time to part,
Yes,
it
believe.
Martha (comes
Faust.
up).
is
late.
Sir.
May
Must
Margaret.
Faust.
My
I
then go
!
Farewell
Martha.
Margaret.
Margaret.
Adieu
Till
Gracious God
How many
things such a
his presence,
silly
man can think about! How abashed I stand in and say yea to e\'erything am but a poor cannot understand what he sees innie.
!
girl
98
UBLIME
me
didst
spirit
everything
prayed
for.
Not
fire
in vain
in
to me.
Thou gavest me glorious nature for a kingdom, with power to feel, to enjoy
her.
visit
It
is
that
thou
permittest
me
in
thou
grudgest
into the
me
not to look
of a friend.
into
bosom
Thou passest
review
before
teachest
in
things,
still
and
wood,
the
air,
the water.
in
And when
the storm
and the giant-pine, precipitating its neighbour-boughs and neighbourstems, sweeps, crushing, down, and the mountain thunders with a dead hollow muttering to the fall, then thou bearest
creaks
the
forest,
roars and
me
off
to
the sheltered
cave
then
thou showest
me
to
wonders of my own breast And when the clear moon, with its soothing influences, rises full in my view, from the walllike rocks, out of the damp underwood, the silvery forms of past ages hover up to me, and soften the austere pleasure
myself,
and
deep
mysterious
reveal
themselves.
of contemplation.
Oh,
now
With
feel
man
this
which brings
99
me
nearer and
FAUST
nearer to the gods, thou gavest
already
I
me
the companion,
whom
cannot do without
in
degrades me
with a breath.
my own eyes, and turns thy gifts to nothing He is ev'er kindling a wildfire in my heart
Thus do
I
reel
ment, and
in
enjoyment languish
{enters).
for desire.
Mephistophcles
this kind of life
.''
any length It is all well enough to try once, but then on of time } again to something new. would you had something else to do than to Faust.
for
I
How
can you
plague
wish.
lose
me
in
my
happier hour.
Well, well
!
Mephistophcles.
will let
you alone
it
if
you
to
You need
Truly,
is
little
The
read
an ungracious, peevish and crazy companion One livelong day one has one's hands full.
in
in
you.
cannot
let alone.
He would fain be That is just the right tone thanked for wearying me to death. what sort of life Poor son of earth Mephistophcles. would you have led without me ? I have cured you, for
Faust.
! !
some time
this globe.
would already have taken your departure from in caverns and fissures of rocks, like nourishment from sodden moss and an owl ? The dripping stone, like a toad ? A fair, sweet pastime
doctor
still
sticks to you.
Faust.
this
Aye, could'st wandering in the desert procures for me thou have but a dim presentiment of it, thou would'st be devil enough to grudge me my enjoyment. To lie on Mephistophcles. A super-earthly pleasure the mountains in darkness and dew clasp earth and heaven
!
lOO
swell
yourself up to a godhead
rake
through
marrow with your thronging presentiments feel the whole six days' work in your bosom in haughty might know not what now overflow, in love's raptures, enjoy
the earth's
into
all,
Fatisi.
Mephistopheles.
entitled
to
is
not
!
to
your
mind.
cry fye
so
morally
We
must not
word,
occasionally.
do not grudge you the pleasure of lying to yourself But you will not keep it up long. You are already driven back into your old course, and, if this holds
I
much
horror.
longer, will
Enough
to
of this
your
little
and
At
all
her
is
You
all
are
never
subduingly.
like a
snow-flushed
rivulet rivulet
into
her heart,
and
lo
your
the
dry again.
in
woods, your worship would do well to reward the poor young monkey for her love. The time seems lamentably long to
her
;
the clouds
!
roll
old town-walls.
"Were
a bird
all
One
while she
down, one while fairly outwept : all appearance and ever lovesick
Faust.
Serpent
serpent
Mephistopheles (aside).
Good
if
Faust.
lovely
Reprobate
woman.
take thyself away, and name not the Bring not the desire for her sweet body
!
before
my
Mephistopheles.
that you
ai'e
off,
What
in
is
to be done, then
are.
She thinks
H
and
FAUST
Fatist.
I
am
ever so far
I
off,
body of the Lord when her lips are touching it. have often Mephistopheles. Very well, my friend. envied you the twin-pair, which feed among roses. Faust. Pander begone. cannot You rail, and Mephistopheles. Good again help laughing. The God, who made lad and lass, well
I
!
understood
the
it
noble
a
calling
of
making
opportunity
!
too.
But away,
is
You
1
not,
.''
Faust.
What
.''
Let
me
the
Do
unceasingly
Am
monster without aim or dashed from rock to rock, in de\'ouring fury towards the precipice ? And she, upon the side, with childlike simplicity, in her little cot upon the little mountain Held, and all her And I, homely cares embraced within tliat little world the hated of God it was not enough for me to grasp the Her, her peace, must rocks and smite them to shatters
!
.''
undermine
!
Hell,
quickly
!
thou could'st
not
rest
without
!
this
sacrihce
Devil, help
me
to shorten
the pang
fall
Let what
must
be, be
How
you
it
Get
and comfort
it
her,
fool
When
!
outlet,
immediately represents to
itself
He who
And
yet,
on other occasions,
I
you have a fair spice of the devil in you. in the world more insipid than a devil that
know nothing
despaii's.
MARGARET'S ROOM
Margaret
{alone, at the
spinning
xchcel).
PEACE
My
I
is is
gone
heavy
heart
shall find
it
never,
Where
Is
embittered to me.
My
Is
poor head
wandering,
My
poor sense
Distracted.
My peace My heart is
I
is
gone heavy
;
shall find
it
never,
103
H 2
FAUST
His stately step, His noble form
;
hand,
And, ah
his kiss
My peace My heart is
I
is
gone
;
heavy
it
shall find
never,
My bosom
After him.
Ah And And
I
could
hold liim
kiss
I
him
!
As
would
On
I
his kisses
should die
away
MARTHA'S GARDEN
Margaret
Margaret.
Faust.
Margaret.
feel
Now,
to
tell
?
I
me,
as
religion
dear,
good
man,
but
of
it.
believe
don't think
much
I
Faust.
No more
love
love,
I
of that,
:
my
I
child
you
feel
you
would
lay
down my
life
for
those
nor would
deprive
any of their feeling and their church. we must believe Margaret. That is not right
;
in
it.
Faust.
Must we
.'
had any influence over you Besides, you do not honour the holy sacraments. honour them. Faust. I
Margaret.
!
Ah
if
Margaret.
you went
to
But without desiring them. It is long since mass or confession. Do you believe in God
.''
Faust.
My
priests
love,
who
dares say,
believe in
God
.''
You
will
and philosophers, and their answer appear but a mockery of the questioner.
ask
Margaret.
may
You
FAUST
Faust.
Mistake
?
name him
feel
Who
r
dare
"
believe
in
him
"
"
Who
him not ? The Allthe AU-sustainer, does he not embrace and sustain thee, me, himself ? Does not the heaven arch itself there above ? Lies not the earth Hrm here below ? And do not eternal stars rise, kindly twinkling, on high Are we not looking into each other's eyes, and is not all thronging to thy head and heart, and weaving in eternal mystery,
dare to say
1
and
"
believe in
cmbracer,
?^
invisibly
it
visibly,
about thee
wilt
With
it
it
fill
is,
it
!
in
call
what thou
I
Call
it
!
God
is
sound and smoke, clouding heaven's glow Margaret. That is all \'ery fine and good. The priest nearly the same, only with somewhat different says
Faust.
All
words.
hearts
in in
all
of
its own language why not in mine? day say it, each Margaret. Thus taken, it may pass but, for all that,
;
there
is
something
wrong about
!
it,
for
thou
hast
no
Christianity.
Faust.
see you
Dear
I
child
Margaret.
in.
Faust.
How
inmost
.'
Margaret.
is
hateful
to
me
life
in
my
Nothing
in
my
has given
Faust.
my
of that man.
Fear him not, dear child. have Margaret. His presence makes my blood creep. But, much as I long kind feelings towards everybody else. you, I have an unaccountable horror of that man, to see
I
106
-.'^r
_tj
MARTHA'S GARDEN
and hold him
for a roj<ue besides.
God
forgive me,
if
do
him wronrt.
There must be such oddities, notwithstanding. would not live with the like of him. Margaret. Whenever he comes to the door, he looks in so mockingly, one sees that he and with fury but half-suppressed sympathises with nothing. It is written on his forehead that feel so happy in thy arms he can love no living soul. and his in such glowing abandonment so unrestrained
Faust.
I
;
It
presence closes up
Faust.
my
heart's core.
!
angel, you overcomes me to such a degree, that when Margaret. even think I do not love you he but chances to join us, should never be able to any longer. And in his presence, and this eats into my heart. You, too, Henry, must pray
I I
;
You misgiving
feel the
same.
Faust.
You have an
I
antipathy, that
is
all.
Margaret.
Faust.
must go now.
I
Ah, can
little
hour undis-
turbed upon thy bosom, and press heart to heart and soul
to soul
Margaret.
leave the
Ah, did
mother does not sleep sound, and were she to catch us, I should die upon the spot. Faust. Thou angel, there is no fear of that. You see this phial Only three drops in her drink will gently envelope nature in deep sleep. Margaret. What would not do for thy sake It will
!
.''
do her no harm,
Faust.
could
?
hope.
I
Would
If,
recommend
I
it
to you,
my
love,
if
it
Margaret.
not what drives
best of men,
to
know
me
have already
FAUST
done so much for you, that next to nothing now remains for
me
to do.
[Exit.
Mephistopheles
(icho
enters).
The
silly
monkey
.''
is
she gone.
Hast thou been playing the spy again heard what passed plainly enough. Mephistopheles. You were catechised, Doctor. Much good may it do you. The girls are certainly deeply interested in knowing whether a man be pious and plain after the old fashion. They say to
Faust.
I
themselves
Faust.
" If
he
is
he
will also
be
pliable to us."
art,
how
this
full
of
her
faith,
which,
according
her
notions,
alone
capable
of
conferring
lost.
Thou
super-sensual,
sensual
lover,
physiognomy This In my presence she feels she knows not how. too. little mask betokens some hidden sense. She feels that am most assuredly a genius perhaps the devil himself.
in
I
by the nose. Faust. Thou abortion of dirt and fire And she is knowing Mephistopheles.
To-night, then
Faust.
What
is
I
that to you
Mephistopheles.
have
my
pleasure
in
it,
though.
AT THE WELL
Margaret and Bessy with
Bessy.
pitchers.
AVE
httle abroad.
me
to-day.
Siie
has even
made a
fool of
herself at last.
Margaret.
Bessy.
It
is
How
so
bad
business.
when she
Bessy.
Margaret.
Ah
She is rightly served at last. What a time she has hung upon the fellow There was a promenading and a gallanting to village junkettings and dancing booths she forsooth must be the first in everything he was ever treating her to tarts and wine. She thought great things of her beauty, and was so lost to honour as not to be ashamed to receive presents from him. There was a hugging and kissing and lo, the fiower
1
is
gone
Margaret.
Bessy.
Poor thing
You
When
let
mothers never
109
us go
down
at night.
FAUST
She stood sweet with her
door, and in
tlie
lover
them.
in
and do penance,
a white sheet,
Margaret.
Bessy.
He
make her
if
his wife.
did.
He would
be a fool
he
brisk
off.
young
Besides, he's
!
Margaret.
Bessy.
If
it
boys
will
tear
for
go her, and
will
ill
with
will
her.
The
E.\if.
we
strew cut
How stoutly I could formerly Margaret {going home). how I could revile, if I saw a poor maiden make a slip
!
words enough to speak of another's shame would, it and, blacken it as How it seemed to me was never black enough for me and blessed myself and Yet all felt so grand, and am now myself a prey to sin
never
find
1
black
that drove
me
to
it,
was,
God knows,
so sweet, so dear
ZWINGER
//; ilic
it.
in the pots)
INCLINE,
Thou full of pain, Thy countenance graciously
distress.
to
my
thou,
Who feels How rages My torment to the quick How the poor heart in me throbbeth. How it trembleth, how it yearneth,
.?
Knowest
FAUST
Whithersoe'er
I
go,
What
Grows
I
Hardly, alas,
weep,
weep,
is
weep,
iMy heart
bursting within
me
When
at morning's
dawn
When
The
brightly in
my chamber
Already, in
wretchedness,
Was
Help
sitting
up
in
my
bed.
rescue
death
Ah, incline,
to
my
distress
Margaret's
brother).
made one of a company, where many like to show of, and the fellows were
loud
in
flower of
bumpers,
on
the
with
I
my
sat
elbows
in
leaning
board,
quiet
confidence,
swaggering
in
its
then
but
in
is
way
and listened to all their stroke my beard with a smile, and my hand, and say " All very well there one in the whole country to
:
compare with
candle to
so
it
my
dear Margaret,
?
who
"
is
fit
to hold a
!
my
sister
!
went round
nob, kling
klang
;
he
is
right
she
is the pearl of the whole sex;" and all those praisers were dumb. And now it is enough to make one tear i^ out one's hair by the roots, and run up the walls shall be twitted by the sneers and taunts of every knave, shall sit like a bankrupt debtor, and sweat at every
chance word.
yet
is
I
And though
call
could not
them
?
liars.
1
Who
comes there
Who
slinking this
If it is
way
he,
I
If
them.
will
he shall not
FAUST
Fatist.
How
weaker
round
!
and
weaker
is
the
sides,
and darkness
thickens
Just so
all
night-like in
I
my
breast.
Mcpliistophcles.
And
I
feel
quite
virtuously,
with
In
thrill
a spice of
such a manner
me
through
The day after to-morrow it comes round to us again there one knows what one wakes for. Fatist. In the mean time, can that be the treasure
rising,
that
which
.''
Mepliistoplielcs.
You
will
lifting
up of
capital
the casket.
There are
adorn
lion-dollars within.
Faust.
mistress with
Not a trinket
.''
not
I
a ring
to
my
lovely
Mephistophelcs.
think
Faust.
That
is
well.
feel
when
go to her
without a present.
Mephistophelcs.
You ought
some
sing
enjoyment
gratis.
Now
will
make
more
certainly.
[He sings
to the guitar.
"What
he
lets
thee
in
Beware
If
it
poor,
poor things.
you love yourselves, do nothing to except with the ring on the finger.
If
Whom
t)
M-
STREET
by God
!
First, to
The
guitar
is
broken to pieces
It
is
up with
it.
Valentine.
Now
Mephistoplieles
{to
Don't
I
give
you.
Courage
tell
toasting-iron
will parry.
Mephistoplieles.
Why
that
!
not
Valentine.
And
I
Mephistoplieles.
To be
believe
sure.
Valentine.
the
devil
is
fighting.
What
is
that
My
hand
is
already disabled.
{to
Mephisiopheles
Valentine falls.
Mepliistoplieles.
Faust).
Thrust home
!
Oh, torture
The clown
in
is
tamed now.
for
But away
outcry
We
must vanish
I
twinkling,
horrible
is
already raised.
am
perfectly at
home with
out
light
should find
it
Martha
Martha
People.
{at the
window).
Out
Margaret
{at the
uundow).
Bring a
{as
be/ore).
They are
railing
and
scuffling,
screaming and
fighting.
lies
Here
Martha {coming
People.
out).
Margaret {coming
Margaret.
done.
out).
Who
!
lies here.''
Valentine.
still
am
dying
that
Why
ye,
do you
little
women
soon
said,
Come
[All
!
Margaret you are still young are not yet adroit enough, and manage your matters
Look
my
you
I
ill.
FAUST
tell it
you
in
all,
a whore,
Margaret.
Valentine.
Brother
God
our
Leave
!
What
will
is
done, alas
will take
their course.
You begin
too.
is
more
of
them
soon follow; and when a dozen have had you, the whole
will
town
have you
first
When
Shame
born, she
is
is drawn over her head and ears. Aye, people would fain stiHe her. But when she grows and waxes big, she walks flauntingly in open day, and yet is not a whit the fairer. The uglier her face becomes,
By my
towns-people
truth,
will
when
all
honest
an infected corpse.
they look you
again
!
Your heart
will will
when
in
the face.
will
You
No more
in
you stand
at the altar in
or take pride
hide yourself in
You
will
and cripples, and, even should God forgive you, be cursed upon earth Martha. Commend your soul to God's mercy. Will you yet heap the sin of slander upon your soul.
!
Valentine.
Could
I
shameless bawd,
measure of
pang
pardon for
all
my
Margaret.
Valentine.
My
brother
Oh,
this agonizing
I
tears,
tell
you.
When
you
all.
me
brave one.
^^<^
'^'''s-
CATHEDRAL
SERVICE, ORGAN AND ANTHEM.
Margaret amongst a number of
Evil Spirit.
People.
Evil Spirit
behind Margaret.
different
was
it
with thee,
Margaret,
When
still
full
of innocence
Thou earnest to the altar there Out of the well-worn little book
Lispedst prayers,
God
1
in
the heart
Margaret
Where
is
thy head
In thy heart
What crime
who
.''
.''
Torturing
and thee
?
With
its
foreboding presence
117
FAUST
Margaret.
Woe
woe
Would that were free from the thoughts, That come over me and across me
1
Despite of
Chorus.
me
dies
Dies
irae,
ilia
Solvet seclum
in
fax
ilia.
[Urgan plays.
Evil Spirit.
From
the repose of
its
ashes
Margaret.
Would
I
that
if
were hence
feel as
the organ
breath,
Stifled
my
sedebit,
latet adparebit.
feel so
thronged
The
wall-pillars
Close on
me
The vaulted
Presses on
roof
me
Air
ii8
CATHEDRAL
Evil Spirit.
Air
Light
Woe
Chorus.
to thee
Cum
The
vix Justus
sit
securus.
Evil Spirit.
glorified
from thee
To reach thee
their hands.
Woe
Chorus.
Neighbour
your smelling-bottle
[Slie sicooiis
away.
MAY-DAY NIGHT
THE HARTZ MOUNTAINS
District of Schirke
mid Elend.
Faust Mephistopheles.
Mephistopheles.
For
the
my
are
part
should
be
glad
this
of
roughest he-goat.
still
By
road
we
far
Fatist.
So long as
feel
fresh
upon
is
my
legs, this
What
way
To creep along
of the vales, and then ascend these from which the ever-bubbling spring dashes this is the pleasure which gives zest to such a path. The spring is already weaving in the birch trees, and even the pine is beginning to feel it, ought it not to have some effect upon our limbs ?
the labyrinth
rocks,
Mephistopheles.
All is
Verily,
I
I
feel
nothing
of
it.
wintry
in
my
body, and
my
moon
path.
How
and gives so
bad a
a rock.
light, that,
at every step,
With your leave, I will call a will-o'the-wisp. I see one yonder, burning right merrily. Holloa, there, my friend
!
20
MAY-DAY NIGHT
may
I
entreat your
?
company
Out
Why
wilt thou
blaze
away
shall
is
so uselessly
Be
Will-o'the-Wisp.
reverence,
hope,
succeed
in
subduing
my Ha
!
unsteady nature.
Our course
to
Mephisiopheles.
ha
But go
straight,
in
the devil's
imitate
will
Will-o'the-Wisp.
and
is
will willingly
is
the mountain
to
accommodate myself to you. But consider magic-mad to-night, and if a will-o'the-wisp show you the way, you must not be too particular.
dreams and enchantments, it seems, have we entered. Lead us right, and do yourself credit that we may advance betimes in the wide, desolate regions. See trees after trees, how rapidly they move by and the cliffs, that bow, and the long-snouted rocks, how they snort, how they blow Through the stones, through the turf, brook and brookling hurry down. Do I hear rustling do I hear songs do I
Into the sphere of
! ; !
.-' .''
what
voices
! ;
.''
we
hope, what
we
it
love
And Echo,
the tale of
Tu-whit-tu-whoo
and the jay, have they all remained awake ? Are those salamanders through the brake, with their long legs, thick paunches And the roots, like snakes, wind from out of rock and sand, and stretch forth strange filaments to terrify, to seize us from coarse speckles, instinct with life, they
.'
sounds nearer
And
heath
And
the
glow-worms
fly,
confounding escort.
FAUST
But tell me whether we stand still, or whether we are moving on. rocks and Everythinj.* seems to turn round, trees, which make grimaces, and the will-o'the-wisps, which multiply, which swell themselves out. Here Mephistopheles. Keep a stout hold of my skirt is a central peak, from which one sees with wonder how
Mammon
red,
is
glowing
in
the mountain.
Faust.
How
damp, there float exhalations. vapour and gauze, then steals along
then again bursts forth
like
a fountain.
Here
it
winds, a
;
whole track, with a hundred veins, through the valley and here, in the compressed corner, it scatters itself at once. There sparks are sputtering near, like golden sand upsprinkled.
But, see
is
on
fire
in
all
its
height.
Mephistopheles.
Mammon
?
illuminate
his
It
is
have seen
Faust.
it.
How
is
strikes against
my
neck
the rock, or
it
will
thickens the
forest
!
night.
You must lay hold of the old ribs of hurl you down into this abyss. A mist Hark what a crashing through the
!
The owls
fly
scared away.
of the pillars of
All
come crashing
;
down, one over the other, in fearfully-confused fall and the winds hiss and howl through the wreck-covered cliffs Dost thou hear voices aloft ? in the distance ? close at hand ? Aye, a raving witch-song streams along the whole mountain.
122
%
"^%.,
f--*-^^
MAY-DAY NIGHT
The Witches, in chorus. To the Brocken the witches The stubble is yellow, the sown-fields are green. repair Sir Urian sits at There the huge multitude is assembled.
!
the top.
On
the witches,
the he-goats.
Voices.
Old
she
rides
upon
farrow-sow.
Chorus.
Then honour
her,
whom
honour
Baubo
to the front,
mother upon
Voice.
and lead the way! A then follows the whole swarm of witches.
I
due
Voice.
nest.
into
the owl's
What a rate you are riding at Oh, drive to hell She has grazed me in passing only look at the
:
wound
The way is broad the way is long. the besom The fork sticks this
.''
the child
is
suffocated
We steal along like snails in Wizards {half-chorus). for, in going to the their house the women are all before house of the wicked one, woman is a thousand steps in
; ;
advance.
do not take that so precisely. The woman does it with a thousand steps but, let her make as much haste as she can, the man does it at a single bound. Come with us, come with us, from Voices (above).
We
Felsensee
Voices {from beloxv).
We
should
like to
mount with
you.
We wash,
and are thoroughly clean, but we Both Choruses. The wind is still, the stars fly, the The magic-choir melancholy moon is glad to hide herself.
are ever barren.
sputters forth sparks by thousands in
its
!
whizzing.
Hold
Hold
123
FAUST
in
Voice
Who
calls
there,
from the
cleft
Voice {from below). Take me with you take me with I you have been mounting for three hundred years already, and cannot reach the top. I would fain be with my fellows. Both Choruses. The besom carries, the stick carries,
! !
the
fork
carries,
is
the
he-goat
carries.
Who
cannot raise
after
himself to-night
Demi-Wiich
such
a
!
{below).
have
far
been
the
tottering
length
I
of
time
how
others
are a-head
it
already
neither.
here
Chorus of
;
The
salve
;
gives
courage to the
witches a rag is good for a sail every trougii makes a good ship he will never fly, who flew not to-night. Bo/h Choruses. And when we round the peak, sweep along the ground, and cover the heath far and wide with [Tlicy let themselves down. your swarm of witch-hood. Mcphistopheles. There's crowding and pushing, rustling and clattering There's whizzing and twirling, bustling and
; !
babbling
burning
But stick close to me, or we be separated in a moment. Where art thou ? Faust {in the distance). Here
true witch-element
!
shall
Mcphistopheles.
What
already torn
away so
!
!
far
Squire Voland must exert my authority as master. Room Here, comes Make room, sweet people, make room and now, at one bound, let us Doctor, take hold of me
!
!
It
is
me.
Hard by
Come
!
along,
we
Faust.
Thou
spirit of contradiction
But go on
to be sure
thou
But
it
We
the
Brocken
on
Walpurgis' night
to
in
try
and
isolate ourselves
when we
get here.
!
Mephistopheles.
is
met together.
One
is
not alone
a small
already
is
smoke.
Yonder
the
multitude
Many
a riddle
must there be
also
will
Mephistopheles.
And many
It
is
a riddle
it
is
will,
we
I
peace.
the great
little
worlds.
old
if
I
Yonder
ones,
naked
is
and
bare,
and
is
who
prudently
cover
themselves.
Be
compliant,
great.
!
only for
my
sake
the trouble
Confounded
jangle
to
will
it.
Come
fresh
trifling
along,
come
along,
cannot be otherwise.
go
forward
and
space.
introduce you,
and
shall
lay
?
obligation.
What
sayest
1
thou,
friend
you can hardly see the end. A hundred fires are burning in a row. People are dancing, talking, cooking, drinking, love-making Now tell me where anything better is to be found Faust. To introduce us here, do you intend to present
Only look
?
I
Mephistopheles.
incognito.
In
truth,
am
much
used
to
go
I
have no garter to distinguish me, but the cloven foot is held in high honour here. Do you see the snail there ? she
and with her feelers has already found out something in me. Even if I would, I could not deny myself here. But come we will go from fire to fire I will be the pander, and you shall be the gallant.
up,
1
comes creeping
125
FAUST
[To some
lolio
Old gentlemen, what are you doing here at the extremity ? I find you nicely in the middle, should commend you, did Every one is in the thici{ of the riot and youthful revelry. surely enough alone at home. General. Who can put his trust in nations, though he For with the people, as has done ever so much for them with the women, youth has always the upper hand. Minister. At present people are wide astray from the right path For, verily, when the good old ones for me all in all, that was the true golden age. we were Parvenu. We, too, were certainly no fools, and often But now every thing is turned did what we ought not. topsy-turvy, and just when we wished to keep it firm.
I
.''
Author.
Who
And
{who
all
at
once
appears
that
very
I
old).
now
ascend the
cask
and because
my own
come
I
to the dregs.
Witch {who sells old clothes and frippery). Do not Now is your time. Look pass by in this manner, gentlemen I have them of all sorts. And yet at my wares attentively there is nothing in my shop which has not its fellow upon earth that has not, some time or other, wrought proper There is no dagger mischief to mankind and to the world. no chalice, from here, from which blood has not flowed which hot consuming poison has not been poured into a healthy body; no trinket, which has not seduced some amiable woman no sword, which has not cut some tie asunder, which has not perchance stabbed an adversary from behind. Mephistopheles. Cousin you understand but ill the Happened, done temper of the times. Done, happened
;
126
dealing
in
novelties
novelties
only
have
is
any
a fair
Faust.
If
my
senses
This
with a vengeance
Mephistopheles.
You
think to
The whole throng struggles upwards. shove, and you yourself are shoved.
then,
is
Faust.
Who,
that
Mephistopheles.
Mark her
well
That
is
Lilith.
Faust.
Who
Adam's first wife. Beware of her fair hair, of that ornament in which she shines pre-eminent. When she ensnares a young man with it, she does not let him off again so easily. Faust. There sit two, the old one with the young one. They have already capered a good bit Mephistopheles. That has neither stop nor stay to-night.
Mephistopheles.
!
A new
dance is beginning come, we will set to. Faust {dancing with the young one). I had once upon In it, I saw an apple-tree; two lovely a time a fair dream. apples glittered on it they enticed me, I climbed up. The Fair One. You are very fond of apples, and have been so from Paradise downwards, I feel moved with joy,
; :
that
my
present
my
Confounded mob how dare you ? Was it not long since demonstrated to you ? A spirit never stands upon ordinary feet and you are actually dancing
Procktophantasmist.
! ;
away,
like
us mortals
The Fair One. What does he come to our ball for then ? Faust (dancing). Ha He is absolutely everywhere. He must appraise what others dance! If he cannot talk about
!
127
FAUST
every step, the step
is is
as good as never
made
If
at
all.
He
turn round
a circle, as he does
I
in
dare say
particularly
were you
Procktophantasmlst.
You
are
!
still
there, then
No, that
But vanish We have enlightened the world, you know That devil's crew, they pay no attention We are so wise, and Tegel is haunted, notwithto rules. not been sweeping away standing! How long have It is at the delusion and it never becomes clean unheard of Tlie Fair One. Have done boring us here, at any rate,
unheard of
! !
then
Prockioplmntasiiiist.
I
tell
you,
Spirits,
to
your faces,
cannot
I
spirit.
My
I
spirit
exercise
{Tlie
dancing goes
;
on.)
To-night,
see,
shall
;
succeed
in
nothing
but
am always
last
and
still
hope,
before
my
step,
get
the
better
of
devils
and poets.
MephistopJieles.
He
will,
forthwith,
seat
himself
;
in
puddle
that
is
his
mode
of
soothing
his
himself
leeches have
of spirits
amused themselves on
girl,
and spirit. (To Why do you leave the pretty you in the dance
.''
dance.)
who sung
so sweetly to
Faust.
Ah
in
the
jumped out
of her mouth.
Mcphistopheles.
There
is
way
in that.
One must
that the
in
not
such
matters.
Enough
Who
moment
Faust.
enjoyment.
I
Then
saw
Mcphistopheles.
What ?
128
MAY-DAY NIGHT
Faust.
girl,
She drags
from the place she seems to move with fettered feet. I must own, she seems to me to resemble poor Margaret. Mepliisiopheles. Have nothing to do with that no good can come of it to any one. It is a creation of enchantment, is lifeless, an idol. It is not well to meet it the blood of man thickens at its chill look, and he is well nigh turned to stone. You have heard, no doubt, of Medusa. Faust. In truth, they are the eyes of a corpse, which there was no fond hand to close. That is the bosom, which Margaret yielded to me that is the sweet body, which I enjoyed. That is sorcery, thou easily deluded Mephistopheles. fool for she wears to every one the semblance of his
!
beloved.
Faust.
What
bliss
what
suffering
cannot tear
red
How
neck.
Right
see
it
the
But ever this fondness for delusion Come up however here all is as merry as in the Prater
;
and
is
am
not bewitched,
^.
What
They
will
;
recommence immediately.
it
A new
it.
seven
is
many. Excuse
dilettante
has written
but
I
me.
Gentlemen,
my
dilettante office to
draw up the
curtain.
Mephistopheles.
that
is
When
I
find
;
just
what
approve
for
for you.
129
OBERON AND
TITANIA'S
GOLDEN WEDDING-FEAST
INTERMEZZO
INTERMEZZO
Theatre-Manager.
we
sons of Mieding.
damp
ry
!
dale
that
the
is
Herald.
That
wedding-feast
are
over,
to
I
may
past
like
;
be
golden,
if
fifty-years
is
be
but
the quarrel
shall
Oberon.
If
ye
:
are
with
me, this
is
the
time to
show
it
united anew.
Puck.
about,
Ariel
his
awakes
the
song,
trifles,
in
tones
but
it
of
heavenly purity
lures the
fair.
also
Oberon.
Wedded
who would
agree,
let
them
take-
To make a couple
gruff,
is
the
husband looks
me
FAUST
Orchestra-Tutti
(Fortissimo).
!
Flies'
in
snouts,
and gnats'
Frog
the grass
Solo.
See,
It
is
the soap-
bubble.
its
Hark
the
Schnecke-schnicke-schnack
through
snub-nose.
Spirit that is fashionitig
itself.
belly,
and
little
little
it
wight
It
does not
make
an animalcule,
is
true, but
makes a
little
poem.
pair of Lovers.
Little
Truly, you trip it me enough, honey-dew and exhalations. but you do not mount into the air. Inquisitive Traveller. Is not this masquerading-mockery }
Can
believe
my
eyes
I
.''
god, Oberon,
No
claws, no
Yet
it
stands beyond a
is
he too a
Northern Artist.
What
I
catch,
is
ways as
journey.
it
were; but
Purist.
Ah
my
ill-fortune
!
me
hither
what a
Powder as well as petticoats are for sit naked upon my little old and grey women. Therefore he-goat, and show a stout body. Matron. We have too much good-breeding to squabble
I
Young Witch.
with
j'ou here.
But
the
hope you
Flies'
will rot,
young and
gnats'
in
delicate
as you are.
Leader of
don't
cricket
Band.
about
!
snouts and
noses,
swarm
in
so
the
naked.
Frog
leaves,
and
I
the grass
beg of you.
134
INTERMEZZO
Weathercock
heart's
{towards
!
one
side).
Company
brides
!
!
to
one's
content
Truly,
nothing
but
and
young
bachelors,
man
for
man
Weathercock {towards the other side). And if the ground does not open, to swallow up all of them with a quick run,
will
hell.
little
Xenien.
We
sharp nebs, to
honour Satan, our worshipful papa, according to his dignity. Hennings. See how naively they joke together in a crowded troop. They will e'en say in the end, that they had good hearts.
!
Musaget.
witches
;
like full
I
for, truly,
should
know how
to
manage these
people, one
skirt
!
With proper
hold of
my
is
The
of
the
name
that
stiff
man.
He walks
"
I
with
stiff
steps.
He
in
snuffles
He
is
The Crane.
waters.
like to fish in
clear
and even
troubled
On
the
same
principle
Worldling.
is
a vehicle.
They
drums.
hear Here is surely a new choir coming But don't disturb yourselves there are
!
single-toned bitterns
among
the reeds.
Dancing Master* How each throws up his legs! gets on as best he may The crooked jumps, the clumsy hops, and asks not how it looks.
!
in
Works.
135
K2
FAUST
Fiddler.
How
how
!
deeply
this
pack
of
ragamuffins
hate
blow
The bagpipe
I
them
here, as Orpheus'
Dogmatist.
will
my
opinion, not
by either
critics
or
doubts.
The
once,
that
devil,
though,
must be
masterful
something; for
Idealist.
in
how
Phantasy, this
Truly,
if
I
really
I
too
my
mind.
be
All,
must be beside
myself to-day.
Realist.
Entity
is
I
but vex
firm
me much.
stand
here,
for
the
first
time,
not
upon
my
feet.
I
Supeniatitralist.
am
;
greatly
for,
pleased at
devils,
I
being
here,
and
am
from
can certainly
flame, and believe Only doubt (ziceifel) rhymes Here I am quite at home. to devil {teufel). Leader of the Band. Frog in the leaves, and cricket in the grass Confounded dilettanti Flies' snouts and gnats' noses you are fine musicians
draw conclusions as to good spirits. Sceptic. They follow the track of the
TIte
Knowing Ones.
Sansoiici, that
is
the
name
of the
There is no longer any walking upon feet, wherefore we walk upon our heads. In times past we have sponged The Maladroit Ones. Our shoes many a tit-bit but now, good bye to all that are danced through we run on bare soles. We come from the bog, from which Will-o'tlie-Wisps. we are just sprung but we are the glittering gallants here
host of merry creatures.
; ! ; ;
in
hither.
will help
shot
who
me upon my
136
INTERMEZZO
room and round about The Massive Ones. Room so down go the grass-stalks. Spirits are coming, but spirits as they are, they have plump limbs.
! ! !
Puck.
Ariel.
Don't tread
this
so
heavily,
like
elephants'
calves
kind
nature
if
the
hill
spirit
gave
!
you
wings, follow
my
light track
up to the
Drifting
!
of roses
Orchestra {pianissimo).
mists,
clouds,
in
and wreathed
the leaves, and
brighten
in
wind
Mephistopheles.
MISERY!
/X' ^fsJ^L
Despairing
Lonjt
now
prisoner
The
dear,
unhappy
Even
to that
Treacherous, worthless
hast
roll
and
this
!
thou
concealed
from me
infuriated
thy
head
A
evil
prisoner!
spirits,
misery
hast
Given over to
and to sentencein
passing, unfeeling
man
And me,
with
the
mean
time,
thou
been
lulling
tasteless
dissipations,
me, and
Mephistopheles.
She
is
not the
first.
!
monster Turn him, thou Infinite Spirit turn the reptile back again into his dog's shape, in which he was often pleased to ti'ot before me by
Faust.
!
Dog
!
horrible
night,
to
roll
before
the
feet
of
and fasten on
into his
his shoulders
favourite
in
shape,
when he fell. Turn him again that he may crouch on his belly
I
before
me
the
sand, whilst
138
my
foot,
OPEN COUNTRY
Not the first Wo! wo! It is inconceivable by any human soul, that more than one creature should have sunk into such a depth of misery, that the first, in its writhingthe reprobate
! !
death-agony, was not sufficient to atone for the guilt of all It harrows the rest in the sight of the Ever-pardoning.
up my marrow and my very life, the misery of this one thou art grinning away calmly at the fate of thousands. Now are we already at our wits' end Mephistopheles.
:
again
your mortals snaps with overstraining. Why dost thou enter into fellowship with us, canst not go through with it } Will'st By, and art if thou Did we force ourselves on thee, not safe from dizziness
!
just
of
.'
or thou thyself on us
.''
Faust.
at
me
loathe
Great,
glorious
Spirit,
thou
who
my
soul,
why yoke me
to
this
Mephistopheles.
Hast done
!
Faust.
Save her
I
or
woe
to thee
The most
shackles
horrible
cannot
loosen
the
!
of
it
the
that
Save
?
her
Who
was
.''
or thou
Art thou grasping after the thunder ? Well, that it is not To dash to pieces one who given to you wretched mortals
!
replies
to
you
in
all
innocence
thither
that
She
is
just
the tyrant's
way
Faust.
Bring
me
shall be free
Mephistopheles.
And
expose
yourself
lies
.?
Know, the
and
lie
guilt
Avenging
in
of the slain,
FAUST
Faust.
free her
will
in
;
can,
hear
keys,
Have
all
power
and bear her off with human hand. I will watch The magic horses will be ready, I will bear you off. This
much
can do.
Faust.
Up and away
NlGHTA COMMON
Faust and Mephistopheles rushing along upon black
Faust.
horses.
are
they
working
Can't
those
?
about
what they're
Are
waving
upwards
waving
downwards bending
Mephistoplieles.
stooping.
A
On
witch company.
Faust.
Mephistopheles.
on
DUNGEON
Faust
wicket).
{iviih
TREMOR,
the
long
unfelt,
seizes of
me
concentrated misery
man-
damp
walls,
is
Thou
fearest
to go to her
!
Thou
On
hitherwards.
Singing
xvithin.
My
My
That
me!
!
That ate me up
My
little
sister
little
wood-bird.
Fly away
fly
away
Faust (opening
her lover
is
the lock).
[He enters.
Margaret {hiding her face in the bed of straw). Woe They come. Bitter death woe Faust (softly). Hush! hush! I come to free thee.
! !
142
DUNGEON
Margaret {throwing herself before human, feel for my wretchedness.
Faust.
him).
If
thou
art
You
will
cries
to
unlock them.
Who
let
power over me
You come
me
whilst
Is
it
is
yet
midnight.
Be
merciful and
?
me
live.
not to-morrow
[She stands up.
I and am to die already My true-love was was fair, too, and that was my undoing near he is now far away. Torn lies my garland, scattered Spare Don't take hold of me so roughly the flowers.
am
me
in
What have
!
vain
!
not
implore
life,
my
you
know
Faust.
Can
I
endure
this
misery
Only let pressed it this whole me first give suck to the child. night to my heart. They took it away to vex me, and now And I shall never be happy again. They killed it. say An old It is wicked of the people. sing songs upon me!
Margaret.
entirely in thy power.
I I
am now
tale
ends
so,
who
bids
them apply
it
.''
A lover lies at Faust (throws himself on the ground). unloose the bonds of wretchedness. thy feet, to Margaret {throws herself by his side). Ay, let us kneel See, under these steps, under the to invoke the saints. The Evil One, with fearful fury, threshold, hell is seething
!
is
making a din. Faust (passionately). Margaret! Margaret! That was my true-love's voice. Margaret (listening). The chains fall off). Where is he ? I (She springs icp. Nobody shall hinder me. I will him call. I am free heard He called Margaret! lie on his bosom! fly to his neck!
!
He
In
H3
FAUST
howling and clattering of
scoffing,
I
hell,
knew the
'Tis
I.
Faust.
Margaret.
him.)
'Tis he!
'Tis thou!
'Tis he!
{Clasping
Whither is all my wretchedness? Whither the agony of the dungeon? the chains? 'Tis thou am saved! There again already Thou com'st to save me. and the is the street, where I saw thee for the first time cheerful garden, where I and Martha waited for thee. Faust (striving to take her axvay). Come Come with me liUe to stay where thou stayest. Margaret. Oh stay
[Caressing him.
Faust.
Haste!
it.
If
we
shall
you can no longer kiss ? So short time away from me, my love, and already forgotton how to feel so sad upon your neck ? when, in kiss Why do other times, a whole heaven came over me fi-om your words,
! !
What
I
your looks
if
smother
him.)
me
Kiss
!
me
or
will
kiss
O woe
your
?
lips
are cold,
are
me
dumb.
of
it
?
Where have
you
left
your love
who
has robbed
Faust.
Come
!
follow
me
take courage,
my
love.
my
only
And
follow
me
Margaret [turning
is
it
him).
And
is
it
thou, then
thou, indeed
Faust.
'Tis
I.
Come
along!
fetters,
Margaret.
1
You undo my
you take
me
to your
How comes it that you are not afraid of bosom again me ? And do you then know, my love, whom you are freeing ? the depth of night is already Faust. Come, come
!
passing away.
144
DUNGEON
Margaret.
child.
I
have
not
killed
my
mother,
have drowned
?
my
Was
'Tis
it
!
too
It
thou
scarcely believe
!
Wipe but oh, 'tis damp no dream thy dear hand Oh, it off. It seems to me as if there was blood on it. thy sword I pray Put up God what hast thou done
is
!
.''
thee, do
Faust.
Let what
is
past, be past.
Thou
1
wilt
kill
me.
Margaret.
will describe
you must see to them the first thing to-morrow. Give my mother the best place; my brother close by me, a little on one side, only not too far oif And the little one on my right breast no one else will lie
the graves to you
;
by me.
delight
!
To
But
nestle to
it
tliy
side,
that
was
a sweet, a dear
I
will
feel
as
if
were
off.
irresistibly
drawn
you
;
were thrusting me
along.
And
yet, 'tis
If
and you
.''
look, so kind.
I,
Faust.
you
come
Margaret.
Fatcst
Out there
If
!
Margaret
wait,
the
grave
is
without,
if
death
lies
in
then
come
Hence
!
into
the
eternal
resting-place,
^
and not a step further. Thou art now going away Henry, could I but go too
Faust.
open.
Thou canst
I
Only consent
there
Margaret.
is
me
What
is
avails
it
flying
They are
to
It
so
miserable
to
It
be obliged
is
beg,
and
an
evil
conscience, too.
land,
so miserable to
I
wander
will.
strange
and
they
1
will
catch me, do as
Faust.
shall be
with thee.
Margaret. Quick, quick! Save thy poor child. Keep the path up by the brook over the bridge
Away!
the
into
H5
FAUST
wood to
quick
the
left
Only
is
still
it
tries
to
rise
it
Faust.
free.
Be
calm,
pray!
Only one
step,
Margaret.
there sits brain grows chill mother on a mother on a stone, and waves her head to and fro. She beckons not, she nods not, her head is heavy; she slept so She slept that we might enjoy long, she'll wake no more. ourselves. Those were pleasant times Faust. As no prayer, no persuasion, is here of any
!
Were we stone my
hill
There
my my
avail,
Margaret.
Let
of
me go
No,
!
endure
no
violence
me
so murderously
when
did
all
to pleasure you.
is
!
My love my love dawning The last day Yes, is growing day Tell no My wedding-day it was to be is breaking in one that thou hadst been with Margaret already. Woe to We shall meet again, over now It is all my garland
Faust.
but not at the dance. The crowd thickens; it is not heard. The square, the streets, cannot hold them. The bell tolls How they bind and seize me! Already the staff breaks!
!
am
lies
every neck
Faust.
Dumb
Oh
!
that
lost.
Lingering and prattling Vain hesitation shudder; the morning is gloaming up. Margaret. What rises up from the floor
My
.?
horses
He
What would
146
He He
DUNGEON
Faust.
to thee.
Faust).
Come! come!
you
in
Margaret.
Thine
am
I,
Father!
Ye Holy Hosts, range yourselves round tremble to look upon thee. Henry
!
Mephistopheles.
She
Is
{to
is
judged
!
saved
Mephistopheles
Faust).
Hither to
me
!
Henry
Henry
APPENDIX
PROLOGUE
The Lord and
the
IN
HEAVEN.
Enter three Archangels.
Host of Heaven.
of old
On
its
Draw
glance.
:
Though none its meaning fathom may The world's unwither'd countenance
Is bright
as at creation's day.
swift
Gab.
And
and
spins silently.
the sea
Foams in broad billows from the deep Up to the rocks, and rocks and ocean,
Onward, with spheres which never Are hurried in eternal motion.
Mic.
sleep,
And tempests
in
contention roar
;
From
Which
Flames before the thunder's way; But thy servants, Lord, revere The gentle changes of thy day.
151
L2
APPENDIX
Chorus of the Three.
thy glance,
Enter Mephistopheles.
Meph. As thou, O Lord, once more art kind enough To interest thyself in our affairs And ask, " How goes it with you there below ? "
'
Rap.
its
to ancient custom,
And
Its
fore-written circle
Are excellent as at the first day. Gab. And swift, and inconceivably swift The adornment of earth winds itself round. And exchanges Paradise-clearness With deep dreadful night. The sea foams in broad waves From its deep bottom, up to the rocks, And rocks and sea are torn on together
In the eternal swift course of the spheres.
Mic. And storms roar in emulation From sea to land, from land to sea, And make, raging, a chain
The gentle alternations of thy day. Cho. Thy countenance gives the Angels Though none can comprehend thee
;
strength.
And
Such
all
Are excellent as
is
it is
impossible
;
melody
of the versification
even the
and delicacy of the ideas escape in the crucible of translaand the reader is surprised to find a caput mortuum. Translator's Note.
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
And as indulgently at other times Thou tookedst not my visits in ill part, Thou seest me here once more among thy
Though I should scandalize this company, You will excuse me if I do not talk
In the high style which they think fashionable
;
household.
My
Had you
I
Nothing know
observe only
to say of
same stamp.
as on creation's day
little better would he live, hadst thou Not given him a glimpse of heaven's light. Which he calls reason, and employs it only To live more beastlily than any beast. With reverence to j'our Lordship be it spoken,
He's
like
flits
Who
for ever
let
The same
Burying
the grass.
There
him
lie.
his
nose
in
The Lord.
Always
Mepli.
Do you
? ?
come here
to scold,
and complain
right to
I
you on earth
bad at best.
Even
I
am
Of plaguing the poor things. The Lord. Knowest thou Faust Meph. The Doctor? The Lord. Ay my servant Faust.
;
Meph.
In truth
in
He
serves you
own
And
His aspirations bear him on so far That he is half aware of his own folly,
APPENDIX
And from
Yet
all
it
bears,
To calm
I
The Lord.
in
a cloud of error,
When
That
knows
fruits
Mcph.
and blooms will deck the coming year. What will you bet? now I am sure of winning
To
The Lord.
As he
Is
shall live
Man
Thanks.
Must err
Meph.
And
I
that
is all
for willingly
a corpse knocks,
am
not at home.
play
I
am
like
a cat
like to
little
eat
it.
The Lord.
His
spirit
it is
;
permitted thee.
Draw thou
;
from
springs
downward path
That a good man, even in his darkest longings, Is well aware of the right way. Well and good. Mcph.
I
am
not in
if I
bet.
And
lose,
your turn
to
crow
breast.
full
Ay
Like
my
I
famous Snake.
it
Tlie Lord.
suits
you
for
never
Had much dislike for people of your sort. And, among all the Spirits who rebell'd.
The knave was ever
the least tedious to me.
134
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
The
active spirit of
seeiis
man soon
;
sleeps,
and soon
I
He
unbroken quiet
therefore
Who may
And must
its
love
And The
Mcph.
From
is
time to time
visit the
Old Fellow,
And
Civil
enough
this
To
MAY-DAY NIGHT.
Scene
The
Meph.
I
Would you
still
As
for
me
wish
For we are
Faust.
from
th'
appointed place.
This knotted
feel fresh
staff is help
enough
for me.
Whilst
Is
upon
my
legs.
What good
way
?
of the vales.
ever-babbling springs
And
APPENDIX
Mcpli.
feel.
My
body
wintry, and
wish
The flowers upon our path were frost and snow. But see, how melancholy rises now. Dimly uplifting her belated beam. The blank unwelcome round of the red moon,
And gives so bad a light, that every step One stumbles 'gainst some crag. With your
I'll
I
permission,
call
Halloo,
my
friend
may
Would
company?
?
Why
will try
To overcome the lightness of my nature Our course, you know, is generally zig-zag.
;
Mcpli.
With men.
Ha, ha! your worship thinks you have Go straight on, in the Devil's name.
to deal
Or
I
I
shall puff
your flickering
life
out.
li>.-Fat.
Well,
;
Only consider, that to-night this mountain Is all enchanted, and if Jack-a-lantern Shows you his way, though you should miss your own.
You ought
alternate Chorus.
The limits of the sphere of dream, The bounds of true and false, are
Lead us on, thou wandering gleam, Lead us onward, far and fast,
past.
To
But
tiie
see,
how
swift
advance and
shift.
Trees behind
trees,
row by row,
136
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
How,
clift
by
clift,
lift
we
!
go.
The giant-snouted
crags, ho
ho
!
How
Through the mossy sods and stones. Stream and streamlet hurry down A rushing throng A sound of song Beneath the vault of Heaven is blown
!
known.
Which wakens hill and wood and rill. And vibrates far o'er field and vale, And which Echo, like the tale
Of
old times, repeats again.
!
near, nearer
now
!
Are the screech, the lapwing, and the All awake as if 'twere day? See, with long legs and belly wide,
jay.
salamander
in the
brake
Every root
is like
a snake,
And along
They dart
forth polypus-antennas.
their poison
The many-colour'd mice, that thread The dewy turf beneath our tread.
In troops each other's motions cross.
137
APPENDIX
The
fire-flies
flit,
Till all
Shall
Everything around
swept
!
Trees and masses intercept The sight, and wisps on every side
Are
Meph.
puff'ed
up and multiplied.
vigorously seize
Now
my
skirt,
and gain
One may observe with wonder from this point, How Mammon glows among the mountains.
Faust.
Ay
light, like
And
melancholy
Of mountains,
Here the
Shoots from the lowest gorge of the abyss there lightning hitherward
:
rise
;
burns
soft as the
enkindled
;
air,
Or the illumined dust of golden flowers And now it glides like tender colours spreading And now bursts forth in fountains from the earth And now it winds, one torrent of broad light. Through the far valley with a hundred veins; And now once more within that narrow corner
;
Masses
itself into
intensest splendour.
And near
us, see,
mountains
Rare,
in faith
are kindled.
!
Does not
Sir
Mammon
gloriously illuminate
this festival
it is
A
I
known
before.
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
Faust.
How
fierce strokes they fall
upon
my
neck
Beware
for
if
Their breath
will
Thy body
Hark how the tempest crashes through the The owls fly out in strange aff^right The columns of the evergreen palaces
and shatter'd The roots creak, and stretch, and groan And ruinously overthrown, The trunks are crush'd and shatter'd
forest!
Are
split
By
fall
And through
The
It is
airs hiss
Nor
anear
!
The stubble
is
is
Now
to the
Urean
is
and hey over stone 'Twixt witches and incubi, what shall be done
stock
!
Hey over
it
Tell
who dare
tell it
who dare
159
APPENDIX
A
Yoicc.
nine,
Upon
a sow-swine,
Honour
her, to
whom honour
to
!
is
due.
you An able sow, with old Baubo upon her. Is worthy of glory, and worthy of honour
legion of witches
night,
is
The
coming behind,
Darkening the
Over awake in the white moonshine The owl was I saw her at rest in her downy nest.
Voice.
A A
Voice.
Ilsenstein
And she
stared at
Voices.
bright eye.
to Hell,
on the headlong
I
blast.
Voice.
past.
Come away
long.
come along
?
The way is wide, the way is But what is that for a Bedlam throng
The
home.
And
the mother
is
Seniichorus of Witches
We
are
all
glide in
women
away
And from
Woman
Semichorus
take.
woman
Where
man
Voices Above.
Come
with us,
come with
us,
from
Felunsee.
Voices Beloxv. the upper sky
fly,
through
We
are wash'd,
toil
we are
'nointed, stark
is
naked are we
But our
60
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
Both Choruses. The wind is still, the The melancholy moon is dead The magic notes, like spark on spark.
;
Come away
Voices Below. Voices Above.
Out
Oh,
Who
I,
calls ?
let
Voices Below.
me
join
your flocks
To catch your skirt and mount to Heaven, And still in vain. Oh, might I be With company akin to me Some on a ram and some on a Botli Choruses.
!
prong.
On
we
flutter
along
Forlorn
the wight
who
A Half-Witch
Below.
:
this
many an hour
Are the others already so far before ? No quiet at home, and no peace abroad
And
less
methinks
is
Chorus of Witches.
thee, aroint
aroint
anoint
;
Then every trough will be boat enough With a rag for a sail we can sweep through the sky, Who flies not to-night, when means he to fly ? Both Choruses. We cling to the skirt, and we strike
on the ground
;
all
over.
[They descend.
What
What What
There
APPENDIX
Take hold on me, or we
shall he divided
;
Where
are you
Faitst (from
a distance).
Here!
What Meph. must exert my authority in the house. Place for young Voland pray make way, good people. Take hold on me, doctor, and with one step Let us escape from this unpleasant crowd
I
!
mad
for people of
my
sort.
Something attracts me
This way
Faust.
:
in
those bushes.
there
!
Come
we
shall slip
down
in
a minute.
Spirit of Contradiction
Well, lead on
'Twere a wise feat indeed to wander out Into the Brocken upon May-day night.
And
in
scorn,
Disgusted with the humours of the time. Meph. See yonder, round a many-colour'd flame
merry club is huddled altogether: Even with such little people as sit there
not be alone.
I
One would
Faust.
Would that Up yonder in the glow and whirling smoke, Where the blind million rush impetuously To meet the evil ones there might solve Many a riddle that torments me
;
were
Meph.
Yet
is
Many
a riddle there
tied
anew
!
Inextricably.
We
'Tis
an old custom.
Men have
in
ever built
all.
Wisely attired with greater decency. Be guided now by me, and you shall buy
A pound
I
of pleasure with a
dram
of trouble.
one must
Come,
I'll
Get used
damn'd scraping.
162
lead you
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
Among them
As a
fresh
;
see,
compact
two
shall be.
How
Look
say you
forth,
now
this space is
wide enough
you cannot see the end of it An hundred bonfires burn in rows, and they Who throng around them seem innumerable
love,
And cooking, are at work. Now tell me, friend, What is there better in the world than this ?
Fatist.
In introducing us, do
you assume
The character
MepJi.
of wizard or of devil ?
I
In truth,
;
generally go about
In strict incognito
likes
To wear
I
have no ribbon at
my
knee
is
but here
honourable.
snail there ?
And
I
could not,
Come
I'll
sitting
round a
Old gentlewomen, what do you do out here You ought to be with the young rioters
Right
in the thickest of the revelry
is
Who
dare confide
in right
or a just claim ?
!
So much as I had done for them and now With women and the people 'tis the same, Youth will stand foremost ever, age may go
To
Minister.
Nowadays
:
But as for me, the good old times I praise Then we were all in all, 'twas something worth One's while to be in place and wear a star That was indeed the golden age on earth.
;
163
APPENDIX
Parvenu*
We
What we
round,
we did and do and yet we now things are whirl'd round and
Who now
And ponderous volume ? 'tis impertinence To write what none will read, therefore will I To please the young and thoughtless people try. MepJi. {Who at once appears to have grown very
I
old).
Since
last
came up
little
to the
wizard mountain
And
So
as
my
is
Pedlar-Witch.
Look here,
fast
Gentlemen
do not hurry on so
And
I
have a pack
sort,
like
Of every
Is
nothing
Nothing that
in a
moment
will
make
rich
Men and
There
is
no bowl consuming poison may be drain'd From which By innocent and healthy lips no jewel, The price of an abandon'd maiden's shame No sword which cuts the bond it cannot loose.
; ;
Or
enemy
in
the back
No
Meph.
Gossip, you
What
They shape themselves into the innovations They breed, and innovation drags us with it. The torrent of the crowd sweeps over us. You think to impel, and are yourself impell'd.
Faust.
Who
is
that yonder ?
sort of fundholder.
164
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
Meph.
Lilith.
Mark her
well.
It is
Faust.
Who ?
Lilith, the first wife of
Meph.
Adam.
Beware
All
women in the magic of her locks And when she winds them round a young man's
She
will
necic,
Faust.
There
sit
woman
they
:
Seem
There is no rest to-night for any one one dance ends another is begun Come, let us to it We shall have rare fun.
Meph.
When
\_Faust dances
and
and
Woman.
Brocto-Phantasmist.
What
is this
cursed multitude
about
That ghosts move not on ordinary feet ? But these are dancing just like men and women. The Girl. What does he want then at our ball
Faust.
Is far
Oh! he
all in his
above us
conceit
And any
If
it
we
tread,
Is
There are few things that scandalize him not And when you whirl round in the circle now.
As he went round
the wheel
in his
all
old mill,
He
respects,
Especially
Upon
Brocto-Phant.
Vanish
Unheard
impudence
What,
still
there
APPENDIX
But this infernal brood Proved not to exist Will hear no reason and endure no rule. Are we so wise, and is the pond still haunted ? How long have 1 been sweeping out this rubbish
!
Of
superstition,
will not
!
Come
clean with
!
my
pains
it is
a case
Then leave
I
off
teasing us so.
Biocto-Phaut.
tell
Of
spirits,
I
not.
To-night
of
it,
Yet
will take
Before
my
dance
in
To
Mcph.
At
last
he
will sit
down
some
foul puddle
That
his way some leech, diverted with his gravity, Cures him of spirits and the spirit together. [To Faust, who has seceded from the
is
of solacing himself;
Until
dance.
Why Who
do you
let
the dance
Faust.
red mouse
Sprang from her mouth. That was all right, my Meph. Be it enough that the mouse was not grey. Do not disturb your hour of happiness
friend.
of such
trifles.
What ?
Seest thou not a pale.
standing alone,
far, far
away
She drags herself now forward with slow And seems as if she moved with shackled she I cannot overcome the thought that
Is like
steps,
feet
be
pass on
it is
not well
66
SHELLEY'S TRANSLATIONS
To meet it it
is
;
an enchanted piiantom,
its
A
It
lifeless idol
with
Who
meet
its
Like those
Faust.
me
Those are the lovely limbs which I enjoy'd Meph. It is all magic, poor deluded fool She looks to every one like his first love. Faust. Oh, what delight what woe I cannot turn My looks from her sweet piteous countenance.
! !
How
line.
Not broader than the sharp edge Adorn her lovely neck
!
of a knife.
Meph.
Perseus has cut
These pleasures
End
It is
in delusion.
as airy here as
if I
And
I
am
see a theatre
What may
this
mean
Attendant.
for
'tis
number.
by a Dilettante, and
The
I
actors
who perform
;
are Dilettanti
but
must
vanish,
am
a Dilettante curtain-lifter.
NOTES
NOTES
Page
sang my
P.
3.
the
is
souls to
whom
first.
To understand
the Dedication,
p. xiv.
it
necessary to refer
See Preface,
It
must be borne
in
mind that
the theatre
common
one.
P. 9.
at fairs,
is
supposed to be an itinerant
is your duty. It was a favourite theory power of caUing up the most vivid emotions was in no respect impaired by age, whilst the power of pourtraying them was greatly improved by experience. P. 9. Use the greater and the lesser light of heaven. " And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser
Gen.
i.
17.
is
P. 11.
Prologue in Heaven.
The
1st
in
taken
and 2nd.
the guise
is
" It
in
is
worthy of
between
to be seen
mode
of
treating
the
principle
of
in
evil,
Lord Byron
Cain.
tradition,
light fallen
the
Supreme Being.
Job is the groundwork, according to which Satan or the Devil forms one of
of
Book
against his
will,
but as a powerful
[Vorlesungeu).
day.
P. 12.
"
may
go,
APPENDIX
them, Here we are?"
Job.
xxxviii. 35.
"And
of the angels
lie
saith,
Who
St.
maketh
and
Paul, Heb.
P. 13.
7.
A good man
I
in
his dark
strivings, &c.
is
Drang
in
this
passage
it
is
meaning
clear.
In rendering
as above,
in
my
mind.
P. 13.
The
the least
offensive to me.
is
I
This
does not
malicious,
convey the character of Mephistopheles, nor The meaning must be: word that would.
roguish devil
defies.
who laughs
/
like to
or scoffs at
my
works, to one
who openly
P. 14.
see
the
Ancient
Fellow.
translates
one.
Gentleman.
am
"A
The Lord
occasionally,
fallen angel, as
an angel, who
him,
host."
breaking with
wherefore we
p. 37.
amongst the
P. 15.
First Scene.
The opening
the Faustus of
I
quote
is
it,
story
sketched
Enter Chorus.
Not marching
in
Where Mars
Nor sporting Nor
Only
in
did
in
In courts of kings,
where
state
is
ovcrturn'd
the
pomp
Intends our muse to vaunt his heavenly verse this, gentles, we must now perform, The form of Paustus' fortunes, good or bad
:
And now to patient judgments we appeal, And speak for Faustus in his infancy:
Now
In
is
Germany, within
town
call'd
Rhodes;
NOTES
At riper years to Wittenburg he went So much he profits in divinity, That shortly he was graced with Doctor's name, Excelling all, and sweetly can dispute In th' heavenly matters of theology Till, swoln with cunning and a self-conceit. His waxen wings did mount above his reach And melting heavens conspired his overthrow
;
; ;
For
And
glutted
now
gifts,
I.
Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin. the depth of that thou wilt profess Having commenced, be a divine in show, Yet level at the end of every art. And live and die in Aristotle's works,
To sound
Sweet analytics, 'tis thou hast ravished me. Bene disserere est fines logicis. Is, to dispute well, logic's chiefest end ?
Affords this art no greater miracle ? Then read no more thou hast attain'd that end, A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit
;
Bid economy farewell and Galen come. Be a physician, Faustus heap up gold.
: ;
And be
eternized for some wondrous cure Summon bonum medicinje sanitas The end of physic is our bodies' health
;
Why,
Are not thy bills hung up as monuments, Whereby whole cities have escaped the plague. And thousand desperate maladies been cured ? Yet thou art still but Faustus and a man. Could'st thou make men to live eternally.
Or, being dead, raise them to life again. Then this profession were to be esteem'd. Where is Justinian ? Physic, farewell
!
Si
APPENDIX
Alter rem, alter valorem
rei,
&c.
nisi,
Exhereditari
&c.
Such
is
And
fits a mercenary drudge, aims at nothing but external trash, Too servile and illiberal for me.
This study
Who
When
all is
done, divinity
is
:
best.
Jerome's Bible, Faustus view it well. Stipendium peccati mors est: ha! stipendium, &x. The reward of sin is death that's hard. Si peccasse negamus, fallimur, et nulla est in nobis Veritas If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth in us. Why then belike we must sin. And so consequently die. Ay, we must die an everlasting death. What doctrine call you this ? Che sera, sera
:
What
be
divinity, adieu
Ay, these are those that Faustus most desires. Oh what a world of profit and delight.
!
Of power,
Is
of honour, and omnipotence, promised to the studious artisan All things that move between the quiet pole. Shall be at my command. Emperors and kings Are but obey'd in their several provinces; But his dominion that exceeds in this. Stretches as far as doth the mind of man A sound magician is a demigod. [Enter Wagnek. Here tire my brains to get a deity. Marloiv's Works, vol. ii.
! :
Lord Byron's Manfred is clearly traceable His own and Goethe's opinions to Faust, either Marlow's or Goethe's. on this matter may be collected from the following extracts, which form part of a note to the last edition of Byron's Works, vol. ii. p. 71. In June, 1820, Lord Byron thus writes to iMr. Murray: " Enclosed is something will interest you to wit, the opinion of the perhaps in Europe, upon one of the great greatest man in Germany, tnen of your advertisements (all famous hands, as Jacob Tonson
of
;
The commencement
174
NOTES
used to say of his ragamuffins),
in
upon
Manfred.
There
is
one
keep them
all
more so, as favourable. His Faust German; but Matthew Monk Lewis,
know
in
most of it to me viva voce, and I was naturally much struck with it but it was the Steinbach, and the Jungfrau, and something else much
The
first
scene,
The following
"
is
itnd
me
a wonderful phenomenon,
intellectual poet
it
and one that closely touched me.* This singularly has taken my Faustus to himself, and extracted from
nourishment
the
for his
the strongest
hypochondriac humour.
in
He
impelling principles
his
own way,
;
for his
own
purposes, so
them remains the same and it is particularly on this The whole is in account that I cannot enough admire his genius. this way so completely formed anew, that it would be an interesting
that no one of task for the critic to point out, not only the alterations he has made,
to,
the original
unbounded and exuberant despair, becomes at last oppressive to us. Yet is the dissatisfaction we feel always connected with esteem and
admiration."
Lord Jeffrey, in the Edinburgh Review, thus distinguishes Marlow's hero from Manfred " Faustus is a vulgar sorcerer, tempted to sell his soul to the devil for the ordinary price of sensual pleasure, and earthly power and glory and who shrinks and shudders in agony when the forfeit comes to be exacted. The style, too, of Marlow, though elegant and scholar-like, is weak and childish compared with the depth and force of much of Lord Byron, and the disgusting buffoonery of low farce, of which the piece is principally made up, place it more in
: ;
contrast, than
in
witli
that of his
in
noble
the last
There is a translation of one of Manfred's soliloquies by Goethe complete edition of his Works, vol. iii. p. 207.
APPENDIX
successor.
In the tone
the character of
the diction
and pitch of the composition, as well as in solemn parts, Manfred in the more
reminds us more of the Prometheus of ^schylus than of any more modern performance." The following extracts from Captain Medwin's Conversations may
also be placed here with propriety
"
:
The Germans,"
I
said
believe
'
Goethe himself,
All
1
consider that
of that
liberties with
Faust.'
know
at
drama
is
by
Monk
Lewis,
when
Nothing
to be able to to originality,
the original.
As
Goethe had too much sense to pretend that he is not under obligations to authors ancient and modern; who is not? You tell me the
plot
is
almost entirely
Calderon's.
The
Fete,
the
Scholar,
fiend,
the
argument
about the
Logos,
and
his
from Cyprian.
nobody seems to know anything Then the vision is not unlike that oi" Marlow's in his Faustus.' The bed-scene is from 'Cymbeline;' the song or serenade, a translation of Ophelia's in 'Hamlet; 'and more than all, the prologue is from Job, which is the first drama in the
must
be
worth
reading,
and
about
it
'
Job,'
but
found
it."
it
too sublime.
There
no poetry to be compared
with
"
him that Japhet's soliloquy in Heaven and Earth,' and address to the Mountains of Caucasus, strongly resembled Faust's. I shall have commentators enough by and by,' said he, to dissect my
I
told
'
'
'
"
Medwin's Conversatio7is of
Lord Byron,
Again
:
pp. "
I
141, 142.
The
all
trifling
mentioned
in
almost
plot
the Commentaries.
is almost entirely Calderon's, and Captain Mcdwin had probably been enlarging Lord Byron on what Shelley had incidentally mentioned as coincidences.
176
NOTES
our characters and writings.
I
So much interest do I take in him, that any person who would translate his 'Memoirs'
for
to
me.
my own reading. Shelley has sometimes explained part of them He seems to be very superstitious, and is a believer in
part of his
I
astrology, or rather was, for he was very young when he wrote the
first
life.
I
to read
it,
'
Faust
'
in the
original.
the translator of
Wallenstein
it
;
who
could
venture to attempt
For a man
"
to translate
"
"
p.
I, "the first line, 'The sun thunders through the sky?' He speaks of the music of the spheres in Heaven," said
How
he,
where, as
267.
scene
is laid."
Medwins
Conversations,
Works, discountenances the notion that either Byron or Scott was under any literary obligation to Goethe. This notion, as regards Scott,
is in
in his
Leicester and
Amy,
at
principally
first
Berlichingen
inspired him with a taste for that style of writing in which he afterUnluckily for this wards so pre-eminently distinguished himself.* theory, it is now well known that he had this taste already ;+ and even
it
that the taste originated the translation, than the translation the taste.
Scott says that the rhythm and irregular versification of The Lay of
the Last Minstrel
were imitated from Christabel; but were not these Faust? " I was once pressed many years ago to translate the Faust and I so far entertained the proposal as to read the work through with great attention, and to revive in my mind my own former plan of Michael Scott. But then I considered with myself whether the time taken up in executing the translation might not more worthily
peculiarities of Christabel imitated from
General Preface.
177
APPENDIX
be devoted to the composition of a work which, even
if
parallel
in
some
points to the
in
motive and
execution,
any
version which
could
make
and,
and
pp.
secondly,
whether
it
to render into
and
tell
so far, certainly,
I
my
countenance to language
blasphemous.
much
I
of which
thought
that
I
vulgar,
licentious,
need
not
you
never
put
Faust."
117, 118.
P. 15.
For
from me.
to
"
communed
with
my own
heart,
saying,
Lo,
am come
have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem, yea, my heart hath great experience of wisdom and
knowledge.
"
And
I I
gave
my
heart to
to
know madness
spirit.
and
folly:
vexation of
For
in
much wisdom
P. 16.
/
much
grief
1.
knowledge,
increaseth sorrow."
Eccl. c.
have therefore devoted myself to magic. Goethe tells us, in his Memoirs, that whilst he was confined by ill-health, he and Miss von Klettenberg read through several books on alchemy Opus Mago-Caballisticum, Theophrastus Paracelsus e.g., Welling's
;
Basilius
Valentinus,
Helmont,
Starkey,
and
the
Aurea
:
Catena
Homeri.*
to
The study
of these writers
"
Now
he
were
enters
ingredients
of
the
dealt with
after a strange
fashion."
Farbenlehre, also,
upon
an
animated
defence of
natural
magic.
It
is
clear
from many passages in his Memoirs, that the reflections on the insufficiency of knowledge which he has here put into the mouth
For instance " The were his own at one period. fable of Faust found many an answering remarkable puppet-show echo in my breast. I too had ranged through the whole round of
of
Faust,
knowledge, and was early enough led to see its vanity." Nostradamus. " Nostradamus, properly Michel Notre P. 16.
Dame, born
*
in
1503,
at
St.
Remy
in
Provence, of a family of
it
Doring
with
Faust.
178
NOTES
Jewish
origin,
studied
fell
medicine,
into
applied
himself
somewhat
his
to
quackery,
astrology.
and
at
last
the
favourite
his
malady of
at
'
age,
seclusion
title
Salon, he
the
of
Centuries of
the World,'
Henry
him
this
the Second, King of France, sent for the author and rewarded
royally.
When, subsequently, this monarch was wounded believed that the prophecy life, men
to
in
of
event
:
was
"
'
be
found
jeune
in
the
35th
quatrain
of
the
First
Century
Le
lion
le
vieux surmontera,
En camps
Dans cage d'or les yeux lui crevera. Deux plaies une, puis mourir mort cruelle.'
The most distinguished persons of his time visited him at Salon. There were not Charles the Ninth appointed him his physician. wanting people, however, who made light of his prophecies. So
late as 1781, they
"
He
died at Salon in
Conversations-Lexicon,
17.
fit.
Nostradamus.
the
Macrocosm,
:
Dr.
Hinrichs says
is
"
Earth or Microcosm.
of
signifies
Nature, as such,
and
to
opposed
to
Microcosm,
man."
Falk,
latter,
p.
59.
But
the
incline
think
Macrocosm
in
means
the
Universe,
in
and
"
Spirit
Thus
the
weakness
which
at
the
presence of time
tiger,
says,
itself
that focus of
within
itself
phenomena,
mountain,
same
contains
lion,
sea,
Homer, Phidias, Raphael, storm, earthquake, Newton, Mozart, and Apelles whom, appear when and where it might, would it not strike with trembling, fear, and awe ? " p. 247. The Ganzen (I am here adopting the gloss of a friend) is the Omncity of the metaphysicians, and Eins in dem Andern wirkt tind lebt, is The Immanence of All in each of Plato. " But the best commentary on the whole of the passage in which these words occur, is to be found in the first chapter of Herder's
lamb,
Ideen,
who
(according to
Falk)
of
received
many
Goethe.
The
analogy
the
following
179
passage
sufficiently
APPENDIX
marked
the
I
:
"
When,
this
therefore,
see before
me
can, from
particular,
whole."
Ideal,
Spirits'
c. 1.
The
Old Plays
(vol. v.) is
"A
Moral Mask,"
in
dramatis personte.
to
Paracelsus," says
is
man
is
the microcosm, or a
world
to
the
Oswald
Crollius,
'
physician
most
to
admonitory preface
Books of Philosophy, delivers himself right learnedly on both worlds, macros and micros."
Paracelsus's
Three
P. 17.
How
heavenly powers,
S-c.
it reached the heaven and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it."
Genesis,
c. xxviii. v.
12.
P. 18.
"
all
my
bones
to shake.
Then a spirit passed before my face the hair of my flesh stood The Book of Job, ch. iv. P. 19. Enter Wagner. The traditional Faust had a disciple or pupil named Wagner or Wagenar, who figures in all the dramas or
"
:
up."
histories
founded on the
of
Translation
serviteur qu'il
Le Docteur Fauste avoit un jeune avoit elev6 quand il etudioit Wittenberg, que vit
:
Widman
fable.
"
He
is
thus described
in
Cayet's
;i
toutes les illusions de son maitre Fauste, toutes ses magies et tout
et debauche demeurer a Wittenberg il mendoit, et personne ne le vouloit prendre a cause de sa mauvaise nature le nommoit Christofle Wagner, et fut des-lors serviteur du garfon se
II
etoit
du commencement
qu'il vint
Dr. Fauste;
il
lui,
en sorte que
le
Dr. Fauste
tout boitant
Tappeloit son
il
alloit
ou
il
vouloit, quoiqu'il
allat
i8o
NOTES
et de
travers."
Berlin, in
1714,
assumed
In his
Faust
represents
Philosophy,
and
all
Wagner,
Empiricism;
also worthy of remark that one of Goethe's early friends was Wagner. He signalized himself by stealing from Faust (which was communicated to him in confidence previously to publication) the tragic portion relating to Margaret, and making it the subject of a tragedy, called the Infanticide. Goethe expresses great indignation
called
at the treachery. P. 23.
Memoirs, B.
14.
To possess li-liat thou hast inherited from thy sires, enjoy it. The inscription on an old tomb-stone may serve to illustrate the meaning of this passage " What I gave, I have what I spent, I had what I left, I lost."
in
Turkey.
in
Germany
he then attaches
who
possesses
it,
But he
come
again, or he will
and becomes aware of the charm, whereby great unhappiness is occasioned. A beautiful maiden in Austria once sought to see her lover according to the necessary forms, whereupon a shoemaker
entered with a dagger, threw
and immediately disappeared She took up the dagger and locked it away in a chest. Soon again. afterwards came the shoemaker and sought her in marriage. Some
it
to her,
years after their marriage, she went one Sunday after vespers to the chest to look out something which she wanted for her next day's work.
husband came to her and insisted on looking in she held him back, but he pushed her aside, looked into the chest, and saw his lost dagger. He instantly seizes it, and requires
chest, her
i8i
APPENDIX
to
know,
in a
word,
the
how
she got
it,
as he had lost
it
at a peculiar time.
was unable to think of an excuse, and freely same dagger which he had left behind on that night when she required to see him. Upon this he grew furious, and exclaimed, with a fearful oath Then thou art the girl, who tortured
In her confusion she
that
it
owns
is
'
me
And
"The
like
is
Orally, of a
huntsman who left his hanger. During her first confinement the wife sent him to her chest to fetch clean linen, forgetting that the charmed instrument was there, which he finds and kills her with it." (Deutsche Sageii. Heraiisgegebcii von den Brildern Grimm. Berlin, 1816, No. 114). The same work (No. 118) contains a story founded on the superstition of the magic mirror (alluded to in the next line but one), in which
absent friends or lovers
not peculiar to Germany.
P. 30.
may
be seen.
is
River and
rivulet, &c.
To
in
must fancy a town on a river, like most of those upon the Rhine, with a suburban village on the opposite bank. Falk makes this scene the groundwork of a commentary on the advantages of the Sabbath a fair specimen of the mode in which most of the commentaries on Faust are eked out. P. 33. There was a red lion, &c. Mr. T. Griffiths, of Kensington, who delivered an extremelj' interesting lecture on Alchymical Signs at the Royal Institution, enables me to furnish an explanation of this passage, which has generally been passed over as (what M. SaintAulaire is pleased to term it) galimatias. There was a red lion. This expression implies the red stone, red
;
mercury, or cinnabar.
bold lover.
This
married. This
to the lily.
and female.
This
lilium
albified
minerale, or lilium
Paracelsi the white stone, or perhaps mercury, sometimes called the " white fume," or the " most
jga
milk-white swanne."
NOTES
in the
or a "
tepid bath.
filled
and
means the
direct
and
fierce
tortured.The
;
its removal from the water bath, marriage had taken place betwixt the " red and the white."
adepts
deemed
their
fire
compounds
sensible
of
to be taken.
in
from
placed,
to
another
which received the sublimed vapours. Many heads body were put on in succession, into which the vapours successively passed. // the young queen. This implies the supposed royal offspring of the red lion and the lily, or its alliance to the noble metals the
of the aludel,
sublimer products.
with
of.
During
;
work was
judged
in
means the
as before noticed.
this
was
the medicine.
The term
bodies,
both the
elixir to heal
human
and that
and
silver.
:
the
The passage divested of alchymical obscurity would read thus " There was red mercury, a powerfully acting body, united with Then tincture of antimony, at a gentle heat of the water-bath.
fire
in
an aludel, a sublimate
heads
in succession,
which,
if it
is
terms
it
contains
may
it
mystical writing."
183
N 2
APPENDIX
P. 34.
The
This
may
sunbeams come to play upon them, or to another natural phenomenon, which I will explain by an anecdote. In the summer of 1831, it was my good
fortune to pass through the beautiful valley of Ahrenberg, a valley
which wants but a Moore to make an Ovoca of it. Whilst we were changing horses, I walked with a German student to a rising ground
to get a better view of the scenery.
in
The setting sun was shining the beams massed themselves on a broad part
transversely over a tributarj' brook, thus
of
fell
giving a rich golden glow to the river and the appearance of a white
silvery line to the rivulet.
We
:
my
fellow-traveller exclaimed
"
Den Silberbach
in
The realms of an exalted ancestry. This alludes to a spirit of man, or to " For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Phil. i. Christ, which is better."
P. 34.
P.
the
tcell-known
troop,
which diffuses
itself,
mix themselves with thunder and lightning, and so infest the clyme where they raise any tempest, that soudainely great mortality shall
ensue to the inhabitants."
cited in
(Pierce Pennilesse his Supplication, 1592;
"
Steeven's Shakspeare.)
it is
The
air is
not so
full
of flies in
stiffly
summer, as
maintains."
P. 35.
at
all
line
of
fire follotvs
upon his
track.-
In
his
work on
:
Colours, Goethe gives the following explanation of this phenomenon "A dark object, the moment it withdraws itself, imposes on the eye Between jest and the necessity of seeing the same form bright.
earnest,
I
shall quote a
is
applicable here.
from
and
in half
when, as
in
by
my window
the undefined image of his Such phenomena occasion the more pleasing surprise, as they present themselves most vividly and beautifully, precisely when we suffer our eyes to wander unconsciously. the eye.
184
NOTES
There
persons
be a
is
no one to
whom
yet
have known
it
to
explanation which
had
it
in
my power
is
to give inspired
He who
remarks the phenomenon more frequently, because the reflexion immediately suggests itself. Schiller wished many a time that this
theoi-y had never been communicated to him, because he was eveiywhere catching glimpses of that the necessity for which was
known
one.
to him." The phenomenon is now a recognised and familiar See Sir David Breicster's Letters on Natural Magic, p. 20.
Lay
there
is
a strange
:
story of a fiend
appearing
the
shape of a
black dog
"
For he was speechless, ghastly, wan. Like him of whom the story ran.
He
evil
in
Man."
Canto
6.
According to the tradition, Faust was constantly attended by an spirit in the shape of a black dog. This four-footed follower
in
has a place
pictures, those
in
Auerbach's cellar
they do not
not excepted.
understand.
is
P. 37.
We
that unbelief
it.
greatly by
A
is
noble deed
nay, what
comes
forth,
it
so long as
is
Goethe, Farbenlehre.
revelation,
We
long for
zchich
nowhere burns,
in
<&c.
It
that he
that,
his works,
youth
when
to the
Bible for
was tormented by doubts, he constantly referred consolation, and found it there. It also appears
the
surface
in
that
somewhat the same manner as Faust. " So far as the main sense was concerned, held by Luther's edition in particulars, I referred
I
;
185
APPENDIX
occasionally to Schmidt's verbal
translations,
and sought
of,
to
make
my
little
Hebrew
as
useful
as
could."
It
is
and which
Herder on
literally
this writer,
" "
!
that
Why
you
studying Pliny.
I
Salamander,
by
les
Undine,
SyJpJi,
Kobold.
shall
illustrate
Faust's
conjuration
stir
an
extract
from a very
singular
work,
Eutretiens
Villars, in
Sciences secretes dn
Gnomes) are described: " When you shall be enrolled among the children
'
of
the
elixir,
discover
that
the
elements
are
inhabited
by
very
perfect
whom
the sin of
Adam
deprived his
unfortunate posterity.
the ocean
other guests
alone,
made
for moles
nor
is
a desert.
"
The
air
is
full
of beings of
human
Amazonian beauties "'How! you do not mean to say that spirits marry?' " Be not alarmed, my son, about such trifles believe what
' ;
say
to be solid
it
and
will only
true, and the faithful epitome of cabalistic science, which depend on yourself one day to verify by your own eyes.
;
Know
then that seas and rivers are inhabited as well as the air
and
name
of Lindanes or
;
their
beauty
is
extreme
is filled
the
daughters of
men
are incomparably
inferior.
"'The earth
down to its very centre with Gnomes, a people wardens of treasures, mines, and precious stones.
i86
NOTES
They are
ingenious, friendly to man, and easy to
all
the
command. They money they want, and ask honour of being commanded.
fiery region, they
Their
"
women
'
As
for
any eagerness
for
the
task;
their
"
This book probably furnished Pope with machinery for his Rape
of the Lock, suggested the plot of Idris
and
Zeiiide to Wieland,
and
gave
De
la
P. 40.
scholar.
"
Motte Fouque a basis for his delightful story of Undine. Mephistopheles comes forward in the dress of a travelling That Mephistopheles comes forth as a travelling scholar
is
is
approached as a
even
the
being
devoted
to
philosophy
and
expression
fahrender scholast expresses the unquiet with which Faust is filled. The wandering about through the world for example, of Jordanus
Bruno, &c.
impelled
is
to be
by which
furnishes
viewed with reference to internal restlessness, these philosophers wandered unceasingly from
Aisth. Vorl.
particulars
it
place to place."
p.
Dr. Hinrichs
p.
91
64,)
some curious
called,
as
these scholastici
would seem that they did not fill a very respectable station in society; and it is no compliment to Giordano Bruno (a man of distinguished merit) to be put forth as an
from which
P. 41. Fly-god,
of a
i.e.
Beelzebub, whose
fly.
name
in the
;
is
partly
compounded
all.
Hebrew word
P. 41. /
signifying
am a
icliich
beginning was
"
And
And
the Spirit of
there be light
light,
that
c.
i.
it
and there was light. was good and God divided the
:
light
Gen.
Granted, that day, proceeding from the original source of deserves all honour, because it invigorates, quickens, gladdens
light,
still
it does not follow that darkness must be addressed and shunned as the evil principle, because it makes us uneasy, and lulls us to sleep
187
APPENDIX
we
rather see in such an effect the characteristics of sensuous beings
Goethe.
controlled by phenomena."
P. 41.
That which
is
opposed
to nothing.
Dr. Schubart
cautions
is
means merely
reign of Chaos.
P. 42.
From
" In
believe
course of discovery."
P.
42.
Herder, Ideen
zitr
The
Pentagram,
Pentalpha,
:
or
supposed
to
to possess the
same
sort of
for
more information on
Lucian's
Dialogue
inter saliitandiim
in
the
Amsterdam quarto edition of 1743, vol. i. The Pentalpha is also mentioned in Hobhouse's
p.
334.
artist of the
beginning
Sichem by name), Faust is represented standing within two intersecting circles, upon two intersecting
of the seventeenth century (Van
is
me something worth
sagen does not
tlie
telling.
whether
to
P. 46.
"
What
Thon shall
us, "
17.
renounce!" "Our
shall
can
xcorld
mean afford me
It
is
a matter of doubt
"
!
physical
as well as social
life,
That we
renounce."
book
P. 48.
of love.
Meaning
:
probably
le
don
last favour.
And what am
compact was
The
actual or
i88
NOTES
"Puis
le
tuile, et
:
y met des
comme
s'ensuit
ci
apres
"'Jean Fauste, Docteur, reconnois de ma propre main manifestement pour une chose
qu'apres que je
ratifiee,
et
ce
en
les
vertu
de
cet
ecrit
me
suis
mis a speculer
dela-haut
lesquels
n'ont
que autrement des hommes, lors je me suis je n'ai peu etre enseigne presentement adonne a un Esprit, qui s'appelle Miphistophilcs,
point trouve d'habitude
ce
qui est valet du prince infernal en Orient, par paction entre
lui
dans
mon entendement.
Et de
et
comme
il
m'etoit predestine,
sujet
et
lui
aussi
reciproquement
m'a
promis de m'etre
lui
en
toutes
choses.
d'ici
Partant et a I'opposite, je
ai
promis
certifie,
que
m'enseignera en son art et science, et en comme me maintiendra, gouvernera, conduira, et me fera tout bien, avec toutes choses necessaires a mon corps, a mon ame, a ma chair, mon sang, et a ma sante: que je suis et serai sien a jamais.
la
completement,
ses inventions
a.
de tous
de de
les
hommes,
et
que
je sois
en tout
j'ai
sien.
certitude, et plus
grande confirmation,
I'ai
ecrit la presente
ma ma
In
propre main, et
sousecrit de
pensee et volonte, et
i.
I'ai
Widtnan part
P. 49.
is
But
if
This
Faust.
good deal of puzzling, though neither FalU nor Schubart seems be aware of any difficulty
:
"
know thy
rotten
will'st
gifts,"
says
"
Which
of
of thy
fine
thou offer
me
How
could the
like
of
unquiet
man's
breast.
Hast thou food to serve up which never satisfies ? Or canst thou I loathe only show trees which daily bloom anew and bud again ?
this foliage
is
told in
bricht
Und Baume
Falk,
189
p.
283.
APPENDIX
" This (Mephistopheles' promise) appears to
What
man
in
to satisfy him,
gifts
when he
not capable
of giving
to
himself?
The
the
of a devil," he says,
"are but
away
same manner as
his quicksilver-like
gold
thus he can only bestow fruits which would not rot before the
skill
and
fostering."Sc/(?/6a/-f, 198.
None
however,
of the
editions
that
construing
"
it
Though
&c.
It
is
also
contended that
Du
is
to be construed affirmatively:
satisfies,"^&c.;
saying
I
"
:
This
"However, thou hast food which never &c., is ironical and tantamount to thou canst show me." But on this construction
do not see how the inversion of the second hasf du is to be justified, whilst the answer of Mephistopheles clearly implies that the zeig mir, &c., was a demand on the part of Faust. The most probable
supposition
that Faust's meaning was pretty nearly the same as in the subsequent speech, in which he expresses a wish to enjoy all that is
is,
parcelled out
among mankind.
we may
well suppose
him saying
:
Taking
"
this
You can
;
man
like
me
but
if
let
At
Alluding
to
am
S-c.
"Which
Matt.
of you by
vi.
27.
instruction
admired.
modes of pursued in German Universities, and has been much But the effect is in a great measure produced by the
is
Student enters.
This
scene
a satire on the
happy application of pedantic phrases and college slang, which are no more capable of being relished in England than such terms
as
-n'ooden-spoou,
little-go,
cranuiiing,
plucking,
in
Germany.
tone
:
distinguished scholar thus mentions this scene and the three other
it
in
"
To the
of Goethe, Aristophanes, of
NOTES
course,
can make no
pretension
but in their
preference of
the
come very
lived, as
Madame
times,
de
Stael expresses
Had Aristophanes
written in
modern
it
Keller
in
the
quizzing scene with the young student just fresh from his university,
are precisely the sort of scenes which would have fallen from
pen."
his
p. xxvii.
It is
many passages
in
his
nor,
we are
to believe
change materially
in after-life
Our
scientific
men
They count
lots,
separate
and are
is is
name
;
[Thonerde]
that
I
is
quartz {Keiserlerde)
if
I
that
is
this,
argil
that.
But what am
the better
I
am
ever so perfect
in all
names?
When
hear them
'
lines in
Faust
Chemie
"What am
want
to
names?
know what
is
portion of
the
some other portion, either to rule or to obey it, and qualifies some for the one part and some for the other, according to a law innate in them all, and operating like a voluntary choice. But this is precisely the point upon which the most perfect
universe to seek out
same
into
compartments.
courses
of
and
arbitrarily
severed,
to
half-yearly
lectures, according
The number of real discoveries is small, especially when one views them consecutively through a few centuries. Most of what these people are so busy about, is mere
fixed
plans.
what has been said by this or that celebrated predecessor. Such a thing as independent original knowledge is hardly thought of.
repetition of
19:
APPENDIX
Young men are
for
driven
real
in flocks into
want of any
is
The
insight which
wanting to the teacher, the learner is to get for himself as he may. No great wisdom or acuteness is necessary to
perceive
that
this
is
an
entirely
mistaken
path."
Mrs. Austin's
Characteristics of Goethe.
It is worthy of note that Burton {Attaf. part i., sect. 2, sub-sec. remarks on the several sciences in somewhat the same spirit as
7),
Goethe.
P. 55.
torture, like
p. 406).
Spanish
boots.
The
the Scottish
boot mentioned
Old Mortality
in
(vol.
ii.
P. 55.
xvill
be spent
I
" In logic
struck
me
it
as strange that
was so
to
pieces,
dismember, and, as
mind which
youth,
in
my
order
perceive
the
proper
use
of
them."
Goethe's
Memoirs.
P. 56. As if was the custom enough for their
the
in
to you.
It
is
or
Germany
for
the
professors
to
read
slowly
pupils
to follow
This
was
called dictating.
P. 56.
cannot reconcile myself to jurisprudence. Here again repeating his own sentiments. He was originally destined
/
for
the
law,
but
it
was
to
only
with
the
greatest
for
that
he
could
be
brought
qualify
himself
the
necessary examination at Strasburg, where such examinations were comparatively light. He says, that he had no turn for anything positive. {Memoirs, book ix.) The exclamation, " Woe to thee that
thou
art
a grandson,"
alludes
to
the
artificial
and
complicated
entailed upon
in
them.
The law
parlance
that
is
is
suppose, what
common
called
in
may
to
assist
German
jurisprudence,
be told, that
law or a rule of law, generally. both included under the term laws.
P. 57.
Tlie spirit of medicine.
Goethe
ig2
NOTES
with medical students at Strasburg, and took considerable interest
in the studies usually followed in
P. 59.
Atierbach's
cellar
in
Auerbach's
class
cellar
is
same
Maiden Lane, Covent during my last visit to Germany, and took some pains to ascertain the traditions connected with it, which the waiter seemed to have a
Cider
Cellar
in
He
assured
in
me
that
there
of a doubt as to
my
being seated
;
had
It
was
like
MDCXCV. The
is
the
other represents him in the act of passing out of the door upon a cask,
whilst the spectators are holding up their hands in astonishment.
The
Memor
Fauste hujus et hujus Paenrc. Aderat claudo hsc 1525." Asterat ample Gradu.
it
thus
Memor
PKnte.
Ast, erat
Aus Aurbach's Keller geritten ist, Auf einem Fass mit Wein geschwind, Welches gesehen viel Mutterkind.
Seiches durch seine subtile Kraft hat gethan, Und des Teufel's Lohn empfangen davon. 1525."
It
has been
APPENDIX
adventures took place.
"
At the
city of
Prague
is
a publican's house,
Seating himself
them
'
among
?
'
'
partake of
kinds of foreign
out,
wines
in
The whole
you
first
party, with
like to taste
Yes, yes
'
'
Then
will
most approve.'
"
Upon
this
one of the
guests
exclaimed
'
Doctor
Faustus
to furnish, Doctor,
we
shall find
to
each,
it,
and decanted as
much wine
as they would
them down one after another, the delighted guests to laugh heartily, and heartily did they regale themselves." began The other adventure, in Roscoe's German Novelists, vol. i. p. 377. which the guests of Faust seize each other's noses mistaking them The old French version of for grapes, is also told by Mr. Roscoe.
As he
laid
Widman
"
runs thus
Le Docteur Fauste
les
ils
avoit,
en un certain
qu'il
lieu, invito
des
hommes
chose.
principaux pour
traiter,
sans
ils
eut
appret6
aucune
Quand done
furent venus,
II
meme
soir,
d'un riche et honnete bourgeois, et avoient et^ tous les domestiques de la maison empechez, pour bien et honorablement traiter les gens qui y ^toient invitez. Ce que le Docteur Fauste aiant appris, commanda a
il
lui
les enlevat
de
la
pour
les
Soudain
les
il
y eut en
le
la
Apres que
eurent vu
tumulte avoit
roti,
il
et6,
ils
a un autre une
de grands poissons.
et ses invitez
NOTES
vivres,
mais
le
vin
manquoit
aii
toutefois
non
pas
long-temps, car
Fougres dont
ils
il
en apporta quantite
mais apres
qu'ils eiirent
mange,
leur
ils
pour
plaisir
Lors
il
fit
venir sur
une vigne avec ses grappes de saison, dont un chacun en prit sa part. II commanda puis apres de prendre un cotiteau, et le mettre a. la racine, comme s'ils I'eussent vouler couper. N^anmoins,
la table
ils
il
et
lors
ils
I'un I'autre
ils
un coiateau dessus.
les grappes.
Quand done
eut
fait
puis apres
voulurent,
ils
purent couper
ils
aucunement, mais
meures."
qu'il les
Part
iii.,
ch. 33.
is
Soar
greetings
up,
Madame
me.
his
"
in
Nightingale, give
following
is
my
the
sweetheart ten
thousand
for
The
mind
:
song
which
FRAU NACHTIGALL.
Komme
Wie
Das Herz mocht mir im Leib zerspringen, doch und sag mir bald,
ich
mich verhalten
soil.
wo ist gut wohnen, Auf den Linden, in den Kronen, Bei der schon Frau Nachtigal, Grilss niciii Schatzchen tausendinal."
in
This song
is
Des
Knaben Wunderhorn, compiled by MM. von Arnim and Brentano. The plan was probably suggested by Dr. Percy's Relics
;
a book
others,)
which
(translated
and
least
imitated
as
by Burger, an
Herder,
and
this
has exercised at
great
influence on
German
329.
literature as
on our own.
See
some
interesting
remarks on
i.
p.
APPENDIX
P. 62.
Leipsic
is
the place,
&c.
It
that
amongst the students. Did you sup / dare say you are lately from Rippacli ? P. 62. Hans before you left ? Rippach is a village near Leipzig, with Mr. and to ask for Hans von Rippach, a fictitious personage, was an
old joke
amongst the students. The ready reply of Mephistopheles indicating no surprise, shows Siebel and Altmayer that he is up to
it.
Hans
P.
is
the
German
Jack, as
Hans
Giant-killer.
63.
Mephistopheles
to
sin,qs.
A
to.
favourite
" Bertuch,
at
the
court
of
be
alluded
the
father,"
says
in after
times to speak
with great glee of a singular head in the accounts which he had to consisted almost entirely of breeches, It submit in those days.
waistcoats,
shoes
within
and
the
stockings
for
German
literati,
who were
with
wandering
P. 68.
is
gates of
Weimar,
slenderly
provided
those articles."
be
Witches' Kitchen.
This song was set to music by Beethoven. The best commentary on this scene
to
found
in
Retzsch's
Outlines.
represented as something
but
between
the
he
himself told
me
that Meerkatze
is
the
common
little
long-
tailed
monkey. The term is thus used in a German translation of " Eine Hurenjager, unvergleichliche Ausflucht fiir einen Lear. Meerkatzen-Trieb den Sternen zur Last zu legen." Act i. seinen Madame de sc. 2, in Edmund's Speech on Planetary Influences. Stael considers it to mean something between a monkey and a cat.
The
save
following
passage
(in
which Goethe
profitless
is
the speaker)
:
puzzling
" For
may
thirty
years they
in spirit in
the
Germans) have been sorely vexed and tormented broomstick on the Blocksberg and the cat's dialogue by the Witches' kitchen, which occur in Faust, and all the
interpreting
and allegorising of
this dramatic-humoristic
extravaganza
Really people should learn when have never thoroughly prospered. they are young to make and take a joke, and to throw away scraps
as scraps."
P. 69.
Falk.
At
Falk
196
NOTES
a tone which, through the diphthong
the language of monkeys.
P.
69.
att,
Coarse
palpable
beggars'
broth.
"The
all
breifen
Bettel-Siippen
shade
amongst
nations
throughout the
whole history of the world." Falk. Take the brush here, &c. Retzsch represents Mephistopheles P. 71
.
Oh!
be
so
good as had
to
S-c.
"A
the
wish
old
its
swear
the
monkey-spirits
the
read
the
history of
both
with
Romish
and
new empire,
Falk.
chapter
by
chapter,
all
first to
the
end of the
P. 73.
last
war."
Thou atomy. " Thou atomy, thou!" Shakespeare. P. 73. The northern phantom is now no more to be seen. Where do you now see horns, tail, and claws ? The old German catechisms,
frontis-
above-mentioned appendages.
P. 75. P. 75.
That
is
i.e.,
multiplication-table.
For a downright
is
:
on
this
passage
contradiction, &c.
Dr.
Hinrichs' note
like
"
that of
Hegel,
ist
begins with
such a contradiction,
it
for
frightens
call for
both wise
men and
rank
fools."
first
P. 77.
Margaret.
Goethe's
about
love
was
She
was a
girl of inferior
in life,
to a milliner.
He was
was
in
fifteen
commencement
of the
Previously to the
h. 5.
Faust,
among
Goethe mentions
in his
Memoirs
social meeting.
P. 89. of
/ icould
In some countries
o
Germany
in return.
APPENDIX
P. 89.
Two
xcifiicsses.
all
civil law,
which
testis
non audiatiir.
Cod.
bird,
the
systems.
Uiiiiis
rcspoiisio
P. 101.
Were
"
&c.
Fliigeln
;
Wenn
Bin ich gleich weit von dir. Bin ich doch im Schlaf bei
dir,
Und
Wenn
"
erwachen
allein.
thu,
Bin ich
in
her Nacht,
erwacht,
tausendmal
Herder's Volkslieder,
p. 67.
Wunderhoni, part
P.
102.
i.,
p.
231.
The
twin-pair,
which feed
ch.
iv., v. 5.
it.
'
among
roses.
"Thy
two
young roes
among
the
lilies."
Song of Solomon,
P. 106.
"The
Name
:
is
knows God, is silent.' " sound and smoke. In most of the editions
Who
preceding
1828,
it
the
collected
edition
is
of Goethe's
Works commenced
is
in
stands
-Nature
P. 106.
an
rest
incident
till
I
Goethe's
had introduced
like
my
friend
Memoirs Merk at
is
copied
from
"
could scarcely
of Werther's
me no
hardly
friend
good
bring
for,
Mephistopheles, go where he
with
him."
he
will
blessing
Goethe
always
called
this
NOTES
P. 108.
^-cThe words :
allein
Der ganz
Ihr selig
machend
in
i.e.,
ist,
We
It
This
alludes
in
Skimmerton-riding
this country.
before
wedding.
whose virtue is suspected, the day before the The garland (like the snood) is a token of virginity,
Zwinger. Zwinger
is
is untranslatable, and a good deal meaning of the term. " Zwinger (says a learned correspondent) from Zwingen, to subdue, is a name given to castles found in some of the free towns, and formerly held by an imperial governor. They are often in the middle of the town, and have a passage wherein a devotional image with a lamp has occa-
sionally been placed, not expressly for the sake of devotion, but to
lighten
up
dark passage
Margaret wishes
In
to
be
unobserved,
and prefers
firmed
scene,
to
me
conversation by Retzsch.
is
outline
of the of
in
Margaret
represented
kneeling before an
image
the
his
Virgin
Letters
placed in a niche
close to
a church.
Mr. Dovvnes,
"
from
Continental
Countries,
says
On
our
way
(frohi
we
an
old tower
The
walls are
windows.
P.
scene
in
Goethe's
Faust
is
entitled
Zwinger
it
is
this."
Mater
Dolorosa.
The
his
following
to
:
lines of
Manzoni
(a
hymn
the Virgin,
might be
te,
Alma
gli
te,
che
prieghi ascolti e
le
querele
199
APPENDIX
Non come
suole
il il
de' grandi
Discernimento estimi."
P. 114.
Can
that be
This
is
alludes to a
indicated by a
blue the
light
little
Schatzgrdber
"
Und Und
es
kam
gleich
einem Sterne."
is
P.
114.
Lion-dollars
The
Lmventhaler
a coin
first
struck by
the
Bohemian Count Schlick, from the mines of Joachims-Thai in Bohemia; the finest in the years 1518-1529, under Ludovick, the The one side represents the first king of Hungary and Bohemia. fork-tailed lion, with the inscription "Ludvvig I. D. G. Rex Bohm." The reverse, the full-length image of St. John, with the arms of
Schlick.
Kohlers Miintz-Beliistigiingen.
in
Germany
believe
rat-
This
am
perfectly at
home with
hard
to
Bhitbann
The
is
an old
name
distinction
was introduced
;
into
German systems
till
in imitation of the
French code
consequently
not
See
sure,
To make matters
common
unter ihrem
" She bears the pledge of love under her heart." Thus Schiller in Die Kindesmorderin " Nicht das Knablein unter meinem Herzen?"
Herzen
in
Germany
P.
118.
/ feel
(I
as if the organ,
forgot
to
&c.
There
the
is
a
in
passage
in
Goethe's
works
note
down
place)
which
he
irce
NOTES
P.
Schirke
District
of
the
name
who
May-day Night
to
dedicated
The Hartz
is
mostly within
is
of
Hanover.
the
summit
the witches of Germany hold an annual meeting. Elend are two villages on or near the Brocken. As these mountains are now a favourite resort of tourists, it is useless to add a minute description of them. Mr. Downes, in his Letters from Continental Countries, has given a con amore description of the localities; and Heine has supplied some curious particulars in the
Schirke and
volume of his Reisehilder. Dr. Schubart says, that, as the Greeks had their Olympus, the Jews their Sinai, the Spaniards their
first
Germans
in addition
On
to
the
first
have taken
of their rites
In
one
and the lights and noises attendant on the celebration were mistaken by the surrounding peasantry for sorcery. of Goethe's minor poems. Die erste Walpiirgisnacht,
translated
spiritedly
vividly pourtrayed.
Another cause is to be found in a phenomenon thus described by the author of Waverley. " The solitudes of the Hartz forest in Germany, but especially the mountains called
Blocksberg, or rather Brockenburg, are the chosen scenes for the
of witches, demons,
tales
and apparitions.
to
in
The occupation
is
of
the
that
inhabitants,
who
of a
kind
and
their
the
natural
pursuit
set
of
solitary
or
the
subterraneous
profession,
are
often
down
is
by
them
to
power of magic.
Among
the various
APPENDIX
to
hand a pine torn up by the roots. It is certain that many profess have seen such a form traversing, with huge strides, in a line
parallel to their
own
when
divided from
is
it
by a narrow glen
to optical
by ascribing
and indeed the fact of the apparition modern scepticism has only found refuge deception." The Antiquary, vol. i. p. 249.
:
"
When
or
the rising sun throws his rays over the Brocken upon the body of
man
clouds
floating
around
own shadow
p.
Hibbert on Apparitions,
440, note.
Gillie's
Letters
on
Natural
stories,
Magic,
is
Lett.
6.
In
Mr.
of
German
or,
there
Walburga's Night.
the stones, through
Goethe's
little
poem
and
called
Through
brook-
"
silver-clear,
fibres.
Again,
among the stones, and bathes the naked roots and in many places, the water spouts more freely from
little
out
of
cascades.
There
is
such a strange
murmuring and
songs
rustling
the
as
with thousands of maidens' eyes the rare mountain flowers gaze upon
us,
leaves,"
&c.
p.
173.
See also
his
account of the
P. 121.
And
" In
in
consequence of the
places unable to
many
and wind, snake-like, over the huge blocks of granite, which lie scattered everywhere about, like huge play-balls, for the unearthly revellers to throw at each on May-day night." Reisebilder.
P.
122.
vereinzelt sich
masses
Sc.
It
scatters
itself
at
once.
Shelley
line
literal
has
translated
itself
probably
the contrast
glittering
more complete.
near,
shows
clearly
the
proper one.
NOTES
"
it
a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon."
English Bible.
P. 123.
Sir Urian.
This
is, I
is
common name
is
for
the devil in
Germany.
P.
123.
Voland
(post)
believe,
By
Ilsenstein.
Ilsenstein
was
originally a
princess.
Felsensee (rock-lake)
is
another of the
localities.
P. 124.
Make room,
sweet people.
Probably
life
an allusion to your
most sweet
voices, in Coriolanus.
" And
P. 126.
Now
time?"
which
have to thank
Dr.
Rosen),
Commentary on
in the
woman, which,
in
kills
and
Striges
Fast.
vi.
See
in
This
it
is
appears old, as
variation,
is
to be found
amongst
all
other people.
it into a kind of system, and turned Lilith into a wife Adam's on whom he begot demons, and who still has power to lie with men and kill children who are not protected by amulets, with which the Jews of a still later period supply themselves as a protection
have brought
of
against her.
S.
p.
1140; Eisenmenger's
p.
413,
et
seq."
Jewish Antiquities,
vol.
:
ii.
p.
273.
Burton
devils."
tells
us
"
that
Adam had
a wife
P.
Procktophantasmist.
The
person
intended
is
now
203
APPENDIX
generally
understood to be Nicolai of
reputation
of
of
Berlin,
a writer
who once
the
enjoyed a considerable
Germany,
Bibliothek,
and
a
through
medium
periodical
established
in
co-operation
with a
Mendelsohn,
influence
nearly
twenty
years
widely -spread
upon
in
German
literature.
spirit,
The
written
cold
prosaic
involved
him
in
many
disputes;
among
Fichte,
He had
The
Sufferings of Werther,
"The Joys
of Werther," in which
Werther is made to shoot himself with a pistol loaded with chicken's blood, and recovers and lives happily. Goethe judiciously carried
alive,
on the joke by writing a continuation, in which Werther, though is represented as blinded by the blood, and bewailing his ill
Goethe
says
tliat
his
all
reply,
in
manuscript, deprived
Nicolai of
talent,
literary consideration.
He
speaks of him as a
man
of
least
beyond
own contracted
"
notions of excellence
Was
schiert
Geschmackler-Pfaffenwesen
Goethe.
" Nicolai
To
says
Mr. Carlyle,
in
never
could
He was animated with a fierce most people thought him partly right but when he wrote against Kant's philosophj% without comprehending it, and judged of poetry as he judged of Brunswick mum, by its ittility, many people thought him wrong. A man of such spiritual
of in his philosophy.
;
in
this,
habitudes
Nicolai
is
now by
the
Germans
called
a Philistcr,
Philistine.
Philistine, Arch-Philistine."
German Romance,
In 1791
with
phantoms,
the
sufferer
whom
he
distinctly
knew, however,
to
An account
quoted
204
of his malady,
be mere drawn up
of
by
himself,
is
by
Dr.
Hibbert
(Theory
NOTES
Apparitions)
in
He
died in 1811.
The
Berlin.
commentators. Tegel
who
pride them-
were
fairly
taken in by the
story of a ghost,
Tegel.
forth
said
to
No
to
less
investigate
the
apparition.
of
The
first
13th
September,
1797,
one
in the
and saw nothing. The second party were more fortunate, for one of them rushed with such precipitation towards the place from whence the noise proceeded, that the ghost was under the necessity of decamping in a hurry, leaving the instruments with which he made
the noise (very clumsy contrivances) as spolia opiina to the conquerors.
career,
deal
of
controversy.
1798,
in
This
statement
the
is
who however fully and gave rise to a good taken from an account
:
published in
8vo, with
motto
(to
:
" Parturiunt
I
montes,
it)
Dr. Hitzig
whom
me
am
indebted for
We
from
and
Tegel
is
haunted
notwithstanding
(we
This alteration
be
HpcuKTos.
P. 128.
red mouse
at
jumped
"The following
about
the
the others and
incident occurred
a nobleman's
Thiiringen,
beginning of
fruit in the
the seventeenth
girl
century.
room, when a
becoming sleepy,
off,
laid herself
on a bank, to repose.
red
After
a short time, a
little
one another.
APPENDIX
through, and remained a short space without.
forward waiting-
maid, whose curiosity was excited by what she saw, spite of the
remonstrances of the
left her.
rest,
went up
to the
further
off,
had crept out of the maiden's mouth, ran up and down as if it could not find its way and was at a loss what to The maiden, however, was dead, and do, and then disappeared.
familiar spot,
where
it
remained
dead.
had done in vain. been often tormented by the sorceress and could have no peace Deutsche Sagen, No. 247. this ceased on the maiden's death." story of two maidens who were The same work contains a accustomed to dispatch their souls on evil errands in the shape of
;
The forward waiting-maid repented of what she In the same establishment, a lad had before then
smoke, and a story of a maiden whose soul used to leave her in the shape of a cat (Nos. 248, 249) but I find nothing about a gray mouse.
;
P. 129.
As merry
as in the Prater.
Alluding
to
the
Prater of
Vienna.
P. 129.
When
To
wish a
man
like
upon the Blocksberg Ich wiinsche den Kerl auf dem Blocksberg is This speech has in German wishing him at the devil, in English.
P. 133.
The
Intei-mezzo.
It
is
quite
impossible to convey to
The
is produced almost exclusively by rhymed, to things and persons not generally known even in Germany though no one who has ever witnessed the delight with which Germans belonging to the inner circle of educated society dwell upon it, can It is doubt that it possesses merit of a high order in its way.
allusions, quaintly
impossible to explain
the
limits
all
I
of
a note.
must,
therefore,
confine
myself to
such
The Midsummer Night's Dream and Wieland's Oberon have furnished the basis of the first seven or eight stanzas and some of
the
last.
Mieding, mentioned
in
the
first
couplet,
Weimar
Theatre.
:
his death
NOTES
"
Dach Ach Die Arbeit stockt, die Hand wird jedem schwer, Dcr Lcim wird halt, die Farhe fliesst nicht melir."
Wie
Mieding todt
lines
in
the
me
The
to
suppose
him
Dohring
stiff
full
(p. 198).
Inquisitive
Traveller
Nicolai
to him.
man
I
He had
written Travels
of denunciations of popery.
have been told that the words put into the mouth of the northern artist are intended as a quiz on the style of expression
affected by the
allude to
to
artists of the
day, but
Italian
have revolutionised
his
mind.
distinguished
to.
German
critic
thinks that
of
Fernow is The Gods of Greece Die Goffer Griechenlands is the title a well-known poem of Schiller's, which somewhat scandalised
the person alluded
Some
typiiy
useful notes
upon
it
are contained
Klattowsky's Manual.
The Purist
upon the stage.
is
said
to
a school of critics
who
affected
expression, and
strict attention to
costume,
The Xenien, as
is
well known,
is
the
name
they
important era in
German
literature.
"
A war
of
heads
began
Schiller's
Musenalmanach
1793.
The
Xenien
(in
another place he names the Horen along with them), a series of philosophic epigrams, jointly by Schiller and Goethe, descended
there
ethereal
fire,
on the German
literary
visiting
world
the
quickening
all
that
was noble
with
into
new
life,
but
ancient
empire
of
dullness
astonishment
in
and
this
unknown pangs."
manner, but the
(as
fell
ii.,
German Romance,
207
vol.
p. 8.
APPENDIX
Tieck,
whose admirable critical productions the Xenien bears about the same relation that the sharp-shooters bear to the regular
to
army.
The Genius
literary journals
in
is
of the
edited
Age and The Musaget were the names of by Hennings who was at different times
;
Hennings
is
attacked
in
the Xenien.
One
of Goethe's
minor poems
entitled
Die Miisagcfcn.
of
The extent
years
since
it
the
German Parnassus
is
an old joke.
few
thousand living
entitled
was computed there were no less than fourteen Goethe wrote a little poem authors in Germany.
Parnass,
:
Dciitscher
in
which
he
spiritedly
apostrophises
Ach, die Biische sind geluiickt Ach, die Blumen sind erstickt Von der Sohlen dieser Brut Wer begegnet ihrer Wuth ? "
said
The
Crane
information, Irrlichter
poetical Icarus,
stick.
To the best of my to mean Herder. means parvenus and Sternschnuppe a sort of who mounts like a rocket and comes down like the
is
:
Most
of the
metaphysical philosophy.
originally
M. Varnhagen von Enso tells me that many more verses were composed for the Intermezzo. Goldene Hochzeit means the fiftieth anniversary of a marriage
;
To
&c.
This
alludes to a prevalent
in
Thus Caliban,
"
in allusion to
Some time, like apes, that moe and chatter at me. And after, bite me then like hedge-hogs, which
;
Lie tumbling
in
my
bare-foot way."
Tempest, Act
P. 141.
ii.
sc. 2.
Tlie
round
What
is
are they
working about
the Ravenstone
yonder?
Rabenstein
it.
Retzsch's outline
NOTES
P.
142.
My
the
This
in
song
is
founded on
Haiistitle
a popular
Miircheii
German
to
be
found
the
Kinder-mid
of
distinguished
brothers
of
Van den Machandel-Boom, and in the English selection from that work (entitled German Popular Stories) under the title of
The Juniper
as
Tree.
The
under
child as white as
blood
and on another occasion expresses a wish to be buried Soon after, a little boy as white as
is
born
it, and is buried according to her wish. The husband marries again, and has a daughter. The second wife, becoming jealous of the boy, murders him and serves him up at table for the unconscious father
to eat.
The
father finishes
under the
in
table.
The
little
who
is
made
ties
picl<s
them
up,
them
in
silk
hand-
and buries them under the juniper tree. The tree begins to move its branches mysteriously, and then a kind of cloud rises from it, a fire appears in the cloud, and out of the fire comes a
kerchief,
mine Beeniken,
Un
Legts unner den Machandelboom Kywitt Kywitt ach watt en schon Vagel bin ich
! !
"
The
literal translation
iVIy
would be
My My
Gathers
ail
my
bones
in
And
binds
them up
!
a silk handkerchief,
Lays them under the juniper tree. Kywitt Kywitt ah what a beautiful bird
!
am
I.
P. 146.
duty,
is
The The
P. 146.
"This
is
wand or
to be
staff.
alludes to the
German custom
of
beheaded on a wooden
chair.
209
APPENDIX
Males on such melancholy occasions are kneeling on a sand." Boileans Remarks, page 19.
P. 147.
little
heap of
She
is
judged.
-Some
The more
poetical interpre-
and
deceitful
;
judgment of Heaven is pronounced upon her as her that Mephistopheles announces it in his usual sardonic style that the voice from above makes known its real
;
and that the voice from within, dying away, is Margaret's spirit calling to her lover on its way to heaven, whilst her body lies dead upon the stage. This is the only mode in which the voice from
purport
within, dying away, can be accounted for.
M. de
Schlegel, however,
:
le It
juge
les
ist
ist
gerettet
has been
in
judgment
to
heaven
and
to the
As
no doubt
to
for
richten
literally
judge,
and
is
for instance,
richten, to
judge
the quick
and
the dead.
THE BND
.1.
C. Fosclcr, Pritilci. 6.