Thee, form of flame, shall I then fear? 
Yes, I am Faust:  I am thy peer!

SPIRIT

  In the tides of Life, in Action’s storm,
  A fluctuant wave,
  A shuttle free,
  Birth and the Grave,
  An eternal sea,
  A weaving, flowing
  Life, all-glowing,
Thus at Time’s humming loom ’tis my hand prepares
The garment of Life which the Deity wears!

FAUST

Thou, who around the wide world wendest,
Thou busy Spirit, how near I feel to thee!

SPIRIT

Thou’rt like the Spirit which thou comprehendest, Not me!

(Disappears.)

FAUST (overwhelmed)

Not thee! 
Whom then? 
I, image of the Godhead! 
Not even like thee!

(A knock).

O Death!—­I know it—­’tis my Famulus! 
My fairest luck finds no fruition: 
In all the fullness of my vision
The soulless sneak disturbs me thus!

(Enter WAGNER_, in dressing-gown and night-cap, a lamp in his hand. FAUST turns impatiently_.)

WAGNER

Pardon, I heard your declamation;
’Twas sure an old Greek tragedy you read? 
In such an art I crave some preparation,
Since now it stands one in good stead. 
I’ve often heard it said, a preacher
Might learn, with a comedian for a teacher.

FAUST

Yes, when the priest comedian is by nature,
As haply now and then the case may be.

WAGNER

Ah, when one studies thus, a prisoned creature,
That scarce the world on holidays can see,—­
Scarce through a glass, by rare occasion,
How shall one lead it by persuasion?

FAUST

You’ll ne’er attain it, save you know the feeling,
Save from the soul it rises clear,
Serene in primal strength, compelling
The hearts and minds of all who hear. 
You sit forever gluing, patching;
You cook the scraps from others’ fare;
And from your heap of ashes hatching
A starveling flame, ye blow it bare! 
Take children’s, monkeys’ gaze admiring,
If such your taste, and be content;
But ne’er from heart to heart you’ll speak inspiring,
Save your own heart is eloquent!

WAGNER

Yet through delivery orators succeed;
I feel that I am far behind, indeed.

FAUST

Seek thou the honest recompense! 
Beware, a tinkling fool to be! 
With little art, clear wit and sense
Suggest their own delivery;
And if thou’rt moved to speak in earnest,
What need, that after words thou yearnest? 
Yes, your discourses, with their glittering show,
Where ye for men twist shredded thought like paper,
Are unrefreshing as the winds that blow
The rustling leaves through chill autumnal vapor!