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Faust, tr. into Engl. verse by W.D. Scoones
Faust tr into Engl verse by WD Scoones Author:Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: A chain of perturbation keeping Round all in their wild ecstasy. There shines far-flashing desolation Before the death-bolt's deadly way ; We mark, 0 Lord, with ... more »veneration, The gentle passage of Thy day. The Three. Thine aspect gives the Angels might, Though none Thy being fathom may ; Thy great and glorious works are bright, 0 Lord, as on Creation's day. Mephistopheles. Since yon, O Lord, vouchsafe to come in person, And ask how things go with us, once again ; Nor to my presence e'er hast shown aversion, Behold me here, attendant in the train. 1 own, at high-flown words I'm no adept; And, though the saying raise the general scorn, My pathos would but make you laugh—except That laughter you have long ago forsworn. On suns and systems I can not dilate, I only see how men bemoan their fate. The little god of earth still treads the beaten way, And plays astounding pranks, as at the primal day. His life might know some little joys, Hadst Thou not given a gleam of heavenly flame, Which he calls reason, and employs, In deeds that put the beasts themselves to shame. He seems to me (the words your Grace will pardon), Like a long-legged grasshopper in the garden ; That ever flies, and flying springs, Till on the grass his ancient song he sings : Would on the grass alone he sought repose In every lump of filth he thrusts his uose. The Lord. And hast thou nothing more to say ? Still art thou carping night and day ? With nought on earth contented wilt thou be ? Hephistopheles. So, Lord! I find all there, as ever, sad to see. Men touch me so, with their lamenting ; I feel some qualms, the wretched knaves tormenting. The Lord. Know'st thou my servant Faust ? Mephistoph Eles. The Doctor ? The Lord. Mephis...« less