Man's development forseen in Goethe's Faust

counter with her in her lasting spiritual nature. Whereas in the first part Mephistopheles took Faust along to the gathering of the witches, now Faust drags Mephistopheles with him back into the living world of Ancient Greece. It is not the devil who can supply the means of getting there. Instead, a new character is introduced through a kind of human, scientific magic. The servant of Faust, Wagner, who stayed behind in the study when his master went off on his adventures with the devil, has meanwhile produced by his experiments a human embryo in a test-tube. He is called Homunculus. He cannot emerge from the test-tube into independent existence, but he can speak. He it is who shows the way to the living world of Greek mythology, to the classical festival of Walpurga. Wagner is quite unable to follow and tries to keep this little being to himself, but he for his part is eager to emerge from his test-tube. He longs to find the source of creation in the Universe, which is found at last among certain gods of the ocean known to the Greeks. Mephistopheles has just enough relationship to the real forces of magic to be able to accompany them. Faust and he, led by the little creature, arrive in the land where the Greek myths are real and true.

This portion of the drama is treated with the same zest for every possible detail as is to be found in the description of the witches. The experiences of Faust are at first lost sight of among the many beings and creatures who appear. Mephistopheles does not find himself at home in this world. It is some time before he can find a character in which to disguise himself, so that he can move about and take his share in what is happening. When he is able to do so, he makes the apportunity for Faust to attain his wish for a meeting with Helen. He it is who persuades Helen and her maidens, returning from Troy, to take refuge with Faust to save themselves from the wrath of Menelaus. It is a deception typical of Mephistopheles, who has quite found his old form again in spite of his classical surroundings. :

Faust meets in Helen the ideal for which he has longed and striven. He is exalted to the heights of experience at which he has aimed. There is no disappointment. The tragedy that follows comes about because this condition cannot last. The human soul of Faust cannot continue in spiritual exaltation. The offspring of

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