hey seem to us,
good and perfect. If they are wicked, and in reality what they seem to
us, then ought that Being to be looked up to with horror and aversion.
Come, fiend, resolve my doubts, and tell me what causes the moral misery
of man."

_Devil_. A truce to your doubts! no one clothed in flesh is permitted to
untie that knot, and _therefore_ _a thousand fools will hang_, _drown_,
_and destroy themselves_. Do not, O Faustus, forget the end which we
proposed to ourselves at our first interview. I promised to show thee
men in their nakedness, in order to cure thee of the prejudices thou
hadst imbibed from thy books, so that they might not disturb thee in the
enjoyment of life. But when thou hast rid thyself of all these human
frailties, and hast discovered that the pretended guidance of the Eternal
One whom thou hast renounced on my account, and before whose sight thou
mayst commit, undeterred, the most horrible atrocities, is only a
delusion, perhaps thy soul will then have sufficient strength to
understand these horrible mysteries; and, if so, I will reveal them to
thee.

_Faustus_. Then, by the mysteries of evil which surround men from their
birth to their grave, I shall yet be the greatest of my race; for, in
summoning thee, I shall have threaded the labyrinth in which the rest
must grope about to all eternity.

_Devil_. It is well that the rest of men do not possess the magic art
which has enabled thee to render me thy subject, else would hell soon be
emptied; and thou wouldst see more devils walking upon the earth than
there are saints in the Calendar. Heigh ho! I know what a troublesome
life a devil has who is forced to put in execution all the designs of an
honest heart and a sound head: what, then, would become of us, if every
rascal and fool could call us out of hell!

This observation of the Devil's was on the point of putting Faustus into
a better humour; but his attention was almost immediately directed to
another subject. Six armed men, with dark lanterns, followed by two
executioners with empty sacks, now entered the dungeon. Faustus asked
them what they wanted; and the leader answered, with great politeness:
"We are merely come, sir, to request you and your honourable companion to
creep into these sacks; for we are ordered to tie you up in them, and
then fling you into the neighbouring stream." The Devil laughed aloud,
and exclaimed: "See, Faustus, the Prince of --- wishes to cool in you