earthlystrife. Though youthful phantasy, while hope inspires, Stretch o'er the
infinite her wing sublime, A narrow compass limits her desires, When wreck'd

our fortunes in the gulf of time. In the deep heart of man care builds her nest,
O'er secret woes she broodeth there, Sleepless she rocks herself and scareth

joy and rest; Still is she wont some new disguise to wear, She may as house
and court, as wife and child appear, As dagger, poison, fire and flood;

Imagined evils chill thy blood,
And what thou ne'er shall lose, o'er that dost shed the tear. I am not like the

gods! Feel it I must; I'm like the earth - worm, writhing in the dust, Which, as
on dust it feeds, its native fare, Crushed 'neath the passer's tread, lies buried

there.
Is it not dust, wherewith this lofty wall, With hundred shelves, confines me

round; Rubbish, in thousand shapes, may I not call What in this moth - world
doth my being bound? Here, what doth fail me, shall I find? Read in a

thousand tomes that, everywhere, Self - torture is the lot of human - kind,
With but one mortal happy, here and there? Thou hollow skull, that grin, what

should it say, But that thy brain, like mine, of old perplexed, Still yearning for
the truth, hath sought the light of day. And in the twilightwandered, sorely

vexed? Ye instruments, forsooth, ye mock at me, With wheel, and cog, and
ring, and cylinder; To nature's portals ye should be the key; Cunning your

wards, and yet the bolts ye fail to stir. Inscrutable in broadest light, To be
unveil'd by force she doth refuse, What she reveals not to thy mental sight,

Thou wilt not wrest me from her with levers and with screws. Old useless
furnitures, yet stand ye here, Because my sire ye served, now dead and gone.

Old scroll, the smoke of years dost wear, So long as o'er this desk the sorry
lamp hath shone. Better my little means hath squandered quite away, Than

burden'd by that little here to sweat and groan! Wouldst thou possess thy
heritage, essay, By use to render it thine own! What we employ not, but

impedes our way, That which the hour creates, that can it use alone! But
wherefore to yon spot is riveted my gaze? Is yonder flasket there a magnet to

my sight? Whence this mild radiance that around me plays, As when, 'mid
forest gloom, reigneth the moon's soft light?

Hail precious phial! Thee, with reverent awe, Down from thine old receptacle
I draw! Science in thee I hail and human art. Essence of deadliest powers,

refin'd and sure, Of soothing anodynes abstraction pure, Now in thy master's
need thy grace impart! I gaze on thee, my pain is lull'd to rest; I grasp thee,

calm'd the tumult in my breast; The flood - tide of my spirit ebbs away;
Onward I'm summon'd o'er a boundless main, Calm at my feet expands the

glassy plain, To shores unknown allures a brighter day.
Lo, where a car of fire, on airy pinion, Comes floating towards me! I'm

prepar'd to fly By a new track through ether's wide dominion, To distant
spheres of pure activity. This life intense, this godlikeecstasy Worm that thou

art such rapture canst thou earn? Only resolve with courage stern and high,
Thy visage from the radiant sun to turn! Dare with determin'd will to burst the

portals Past which in terror others fain would steal! Now is the time, through
deeds, to show that mortals The calm sublimity of gods can feel; To shudder

not at yonder dark abyss, Where phantasy creates her own self - torturing
brood, Right onward to the yawning gulf to press, Around whose narrow

jaws rolleth hell's fiery flood; With glad resolve to take the fatal leap, Though
danger threaten thee, to sink in endless sleep! Pure crystalgoblet! forth I

draw thee now, From out thine antiquated case, where thou Forgotten hast
reposed for many a year! Oft at my father's revels thou didst shine, To glad

the earnest guests was thine, As each to other passed the generous cheer. The
gorgeous brede of figures, quaintly wrought, Which he who quaff'd must first

in rhyme expound, Then drain the goblet at one draughtprofound, Hath nights
of boyhood to fond memory brought. I to my neighbour shall not reach thee

now, Nor on thy rich device shall I my cunning show. Here is a juice, makes
drunk without delay; Its dark brown flood thy crystal round doth fill; Let this

last draught, the product of my skill, My own free choice, be quaff'd with
resolute will, A solemnfestive greeting, to the coming day!

(He places the goblet to his mouth.)
(The ringing of bells, and choral voices.)

Chorus of Angels
Christ is arisen! Mortal, all hail to thee, Thou whom mortality, Earth's sad

reality, Held as in prison.
Faust

What hum melodious, what clear silvery chime Thus draws the goblet from
my lips away? Ye deep - ton'd bells, do ye with voice sublime, Announce the

solemn dawn of Easter - day? Sweet choir! are ye the hymn of comfort
singing, Which one around the darkness of the grave, From seraph - voices,

in glad triumph ringing, Of a new covenantassurance gave?
Chorus of Women

We, his true - hearted, With spices and myrrh, Embalmed the departed, And
swathed him with care; Here we conveyed Him, Our Master, so dear; Alas!

Where we laid Him, The Christ is not here,
Chorus of Angels

Christ is arisen! Blessed the loving one, Who from earth's trial throes, Healing
and strengthening woes, Soars as from prison.

Faust
Wherefore, ye tones celestial, sweet and strong, Come ye a dweller in the

dust to seek? Ring out your chimes believing crowds among, The message
well I hear, my faith alone is weak; From faith her darling, miracle, hath

sprung. Aloft to yonder spheres I dare not soar, Whence sound the tidings of
great joy; And yet, with this sweet strain familiar when a boy, Back it recalleth

me to life once more. Then would celestial love, with holy kiss, Come o'er me
in the Sabbath's stilly hour, While, fraught with solemn meaning and

mysterious power, Chim'd the deep - sounding bell, and prayer was bliss; A
yearning impulse, undefin'd yet dear, Drove me to wander on through wood

and field; With heaving breast and many a burning tear, I felt with holy joy a
world reveal'd. Gay sports and festive hours proclaim'd with joyous pealing,

This Easter hymn in days of old; And fond remembrance now doth me, with
childlike feeling, Back from the last, the solemn step, withhold. O still sound

on, thou sweet celestialstrain! The tear - drop flows, - Earth, I am thine
again!

Chorus of Disciples
He whom we mourned as dead, Living and glorious, From the dark grave

hath fled, O'er death victorious; Almost creative bliss Waits on his growing
powers; Ah! Him on earth we miss; Sorrow and grief are ours. Yearning he

left his own, Mid sore annoy; Ah! we must needs bemoan. Master, thy joy!
Chorus of Angels

Christ is arisen, Redeem'd from decay. The bonds which imprison Your souls,
rend away! Praising the Lord with zeal, By deeds that love reveal, Like

brethren true and leal Sharing the daily meal, To all that sorrow feel
Whisp'ring of heaven's weal, Still is the master near, Still is he here!

Before The Gate
Promenaders of all sorts pass out.

Artisans
Why choose ye that direction, pray?

Others
To the hunting - lodge we're on our way.

The First
We towards the mill are strolling on.

A Mechanic
A walk to Wasserhof were best.

A Second
The road is not a pleasant one.

The Others
What will you do?

A Third
I'll join the rest.

A Fourth
Let's up to Burghof, there you'll find good cheer, The prettiest maidens and

the best of beer, And brawls of a prime sort.
A Fifth

You scapegrace! How; Your skin still itching for a row? Thither I will not go,
I loathe the place.

Servant Girl
No, no! I to the town my steps retrace.

Another
Near yonder poplars he is sure to be.

The First
And if he is, what matters it to me! With you he'll walk, he'll dance with none

but you, And with your pleasures what have I to do?
The Second

To - day he will not be alone, he said His friend would be with him, the curly -
head.

Student
Why how those buxom girls step on! Come, brother, we will follow them

anon. Strong beer, a damsel smartly dress'd, Stinging tobacco, - these I love
the best.

Burgher's Daughter