The culture, too, which licks the world to shape,
The devil himself cannot escape;
The phantom of the North men's
thoughts
have left behind them,
Horns, tail, and claws, where now d'ye find them?
Faust, a Tragedy by Goethe
]
Skeleton! Scarcecrow! Spectre! Know'st thou me,
Thy lord and master? What prevents my dashing
Right in among thy cursed company,
Thyself and all thy monkey spirits smashing?
Has the red waistcoat thy respect no more?
Has the cock's-feather, too, escaped attention?
Hast never seen this face before?
My name, perchance, wouldst have me mention?
_The witch_. Pardon the rudeness, sir, in me!
But sure no cloven foot I see.
Nor find I your two ravens either.
_Mephistopheles_. I'll let thee off for this once so;
For a long while has passed, full well I know,
Since the last time we met together.
The culture, too, which licks the world to shape,
The devil himself cannot escape;
The phantom of the North men's
thoughts
have left behind them,
Horns, tail, and claws, where now d'ye find them?
And for the foot, with which dispense I nowise can,
'Twould with good circles hurt my standing;
And so I've worn, some years, like many a fine young man,
False calves to make me more commanding.
_The witch [dancing_]. O I shall lose my wits, I fear,
Do I, again, see Squire Satan here!
_Mephistopheles_. Woman, the name offends my ear!
_The witch_. Why so? What has it done to you?
_Mephistopheles_. It has long since to fable-books been banished;
But men are none the better for it; true,
The wicked _one_, but not the wicked _ones_, has vanished.
Herr Baron callst thou me, then all is right and good;
I am a cavalier, like others. Doubt me?
Doubt for a moment of my noble blood?
See here the family arms I bear about me!
[_He makes an indecent gesture.
