Faust Part 1 | Page 9

mankind of old, Brute skeletons surround thee here, And dead men's bones in smoke and mould.
Up! Forth into the distant land! Is not this book of mystery By Nostradamus' proper hand, An all-sufficient guide? Thou'lt see The courses of the stars unroll'd; When nature doth her thoughts unfold To thee, thy soul shall rise, and seek Communion high with her to hold, As spirit doth with spirit speak! Vain by dull poring to divine The meaning of each hallow'd sign. Spirits! I feel you hov'ring near; Make answer, if my voice ye hear!
(He opens the book and perceives the sign of the Macrocosmos.)
Ah! at this spectacle through every sense, What sudden ecstasy of joy is flowing! I feel new rapture, hallow'd and intense, Through every nerve and vein with ardour glowing. Was it a god who character'd this scroll, The tumult in my spirit healing, O'er my sad heart with rapture stealing, And by a mystic impulse, to my soul, The powers of nature all around revealing. Am I a God? What light intense I In these pure symbols do I see, Nature exert her vital energy. Now of the wise man's words I learn the sense;
"Unlock'd the spirit-world is lying, Thy sense is shut, thy heart is dead! Up scholar, lave, with zeal undying, Thine earthly breast in the morning-red!" (He contemplates the sign.)
How all things live and work, and ever blending, Weave one vast whole from Being's amplc range! How powers celestial, rising and descending, Their golden buckets ceaseless interchange! Their flight on rapture-breathing pinions winging, From heaven to earth their genial influence bringing, Through the wild sphere their chimes melodious ringing!
A wondrous show! but ah! a show alone! Where shall I grasp thee, infinite nature, where? Ye breasts, ye fountains of all life, whereon Hang heaven and earth, from which the withered heart For solace yearns, ye still impart Your sweet and fostering tides--where are ye--where? Ye gush, and must I languish in despair? (He turns over the leaves of the book impatiently, and perceives the sign of the Earth-spirit.)
How all unlike the influence of this sign I Earth-spirit, thou to me art nigher, E'en now my strength is rising higher, E'en now I glow as with new wine; Courage I feel, abroad the world to dare,
The woe of earth, the bliss of earth to bear, With storms to wrestle, brave the lightning's glare, And mid the crashing shipwreck not despair.
Clouds gather over me-- The moon conceals her light-- The lamp is quench'd-- Vapours are rising-- Quiv'ring round my head Flash the red beams-- Down from the vaulted roof A shuddering horror floats, And seizes me! I feel it, spirit, prayer-compell'd, 'tis thou Art hovering near! Unveil thyself! Ha! How my heart is riven now! Each sense, with eager palpitation, Is strain'd to catch some new sensation! I feel my heart surrender'd unto thee! Thou must! Thou must! Though life should be the fee! (He seizes the book, and pronounces mysteriously the sign of the spirit. A ruddy flame flashes up; the spirit appears in the flame.)
SPIRIT
Who calls me? FAUST (turning aside) Dreadful shape!
SPIRIT
With might, Thou hast compelled me to appear, Long hast been sucking at my sphere, And now--
FAUST
Woe's me! I cannot bear the sight!
SPIRIT
To see me thou dost breathe thine invocation, My voice to hear, to gaze upon my brow; Me doth thy strong entreaty bow-- Lo! I am here I--What cowering agitation Grasps thee, the demigod! Where's now the soul's deep cry? Where is the breast, which in its depths a world conceiv'd And bore and cherished? which, with ecstasy, To rank itself with us, the spirits, heaved? Where art thou, Faust? whose voice I heard resound, Who towards me press'd with energy profound? Art thou he? Thou,--who by my breath art blighted, Who, in his spirit's depths alfrighted, Trembles, a crush'd and writhing worm!
FAUST
Shall I yield, thing of flame, to thee? Faust, and thine equal, I am he!
SPIRIT
In the currents of life, in action's storm, I float and I wave With billowy motion! Birth and the grave A limitless ocean, A constant weaving With change still rife, A restless heaving, A glowing life-- Thus time's whirring loom unceasing I ply, And weave the life-garment of deity.
FAUST
Thou, restless spirit, dost from end to end O'ersweep the world; how near I feel to thee!
SPIRIT
Thou'rt like the spirit, thou dost comprehend, Not me! (Vanishes.)
FAUST (deeply. moved)
I, God's own image! And not rank with thee! (A knock.) Oh death! I know it--'tis my famulus-- My fairest fortune now escapes! That all these visionary shapes A soulless groveller should banish thus! (WAGNER in his dressing gown and night-cap, a lamp in his hand. FAUST turns round reluctantly.)
WAGNER
Pardon! I heard you here declaim; A Grecian tragedy you doubtless read? Improvement in this art is now my aim, For now-a-days