ng out the lures
of the sensual life. At first Mephistopheles was not thought of as
working solely for a reward in the shape of souls captured for
eternity, but as playing his part for the diabolical pleasure of so
doing. In the course of time, however, Goethe invested him more and
more with the costume and traits of the traditionary Devil.

After the Earth-spirit's rebuff Faust is in despair. He has set all
his hope on help from the spirit-world, and the hope has failed. His
famulus Wagner, a type of the ardent and contented bookworm, comes in
to get instruction on the art of public speaking, and Faust lays down
the law to him. After Wagner's exit Faust is hopelessly despondent.
After a mournful arraignment of life he is about to swallow a cup of
poison that he has concocted, when his hand is staid by the first
notes of the Easter celebration in a neighboring church. It reminds
him of his happy youth when he, too, believed.

The coming day is Easter Sunday. Faust and Wagner take an afternoon
walk together and witness the jollity of the common people. As they
are about to return home at nightfall they pick up a casual black dog
that has been circling around them. Arrived in his comfortable study,
Faust feels more cheerful. In a mood of religious peace he sets about
translating a passage of the New Testament into German. The dog
becomes uneasy and begins to take on the appearance of a horrid
monster. Faust sees that he has brought home a spirit and proceeds to
conjure the beast. Presently Mephistopheles emerges from his canine
disguise in the costume of a wandering scholar. Faust is amused. He
enters into conversation with his guest and learns something of his
character. A familiar acquaintance ensues, and one day the Devil finds
him once more in a mood of bitter despair, advises him to quit the
tedious professorial life, and offers to be his comrade and servant on
a grand tour of pleasure. After some bickering they enter into a
solemn agreement according to which Faust's life is to end whenever he
shall "stretch himself on a bed of ease," completely satisfied with
the passing moment, and shall say to that moment, "Pray tarry, thou
art so fair."

We see that the Devil can win in only one way, namely, by somehow
making Faust a contented sensualist. On the other hand, Faust may win
in either of two ways. First, he might conceivably go on to his dying
day as a bitter pessimist at war with life. In that event he would
ce