No More Learning

O love, in mercy, now, thy swiftest pinions grant me!
And bear me to her field of space!
Ah, if I seek to approach what doth so haunt me,
If from this spot I dare to stir,
Dimly as through a mist I gaze on her! --
The loveliest vision of a woman!
Such lovely woman can there be?
Must I in these reposing limbs naught human.
But of all heavens the finest essence see?
Was such a thing on earth seen ever?

_Mephistopheles_. Why, when you see a God six days in hard work spend,
And then cry bravo at the end,
Of course you look for something clever.
Look now thy fill; I have for thee
Just such a jewel, and will lead thee to her;
And happy, whose good fortune it shall be,
To bear her home, a prospered wooer!

[FAUST _keeps on looking into the mirror_. MEPHISTOPHELES
_stretching himself out on the settle and playing with the brush,
continues speaking_. ]
Here sit I like a king upon his throne,
The sceptre in my hand,--I want the crown alone.

THE ANIMALS
[_who up to this time have been going through all sorts of queer antics
with each other, bring_ MEPHISTOPHELES _a crown with a loud cry_].
O do be so good,--
With sweat and with blood,
To take it and lime it;
[_They go about clumsily with the crown and break it into two pieces,
with which they jump round_. ]
'Tis done now! We're free!
We speak and we see,
We hear and we rhyme it;

_Faust [facing the mirror_]. Woe's me! I've almost lost my wits.

_Mephistopheles [pointing to the animals_].
My head, too, I confess, is very near to spinning.

_The animals_. And then if it hits
And every thing fits,
We've thoughts for our winning.

_Faust [as before_]. Up to my heart the flame is flying!
Let us begone--there's danger near!

_Mephistopheles [in the former position_].
Well, this, at least, there's no denying,
That we have undissembled poets here.

[The kettle, which the she-monkey has hitherto left unmatched, begins to
run over; a great flame breaks out, which roars up the chimney.