He surfeits on the cursed necromancy. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. FAUSTUS in his study. FAUST. Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin To sound the depth of that thou wilt profess; Having commenc'd, be a divine in show, Yet level at the end of every art, And live and die in Aristotle's works. Sweet analytics, 'tis thou hast ravish'd me. Is, to dispute well, logic's chiefest end? Affords this art no greater miracle? Then read no more; thou hast attain'd that end. And thousand desperate maladies been cur'd? And universal body of the law. This study fits a mercenary drudge, Who aims at nothing but external trash, When all is done, divinity is best. Jerome's bible, Faustus; view it well. Stipendium peccati mors est: ha! stipendium, &c. The reward of sin is death: that's hard. Si peccasse negamus, fallimur, et nulla est in nobis veritas, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. Why then belike we must sin, And so consequently die. Aye, we must die an everlasting death. What doctrine call you this? Che, sera, sera : What will be, shall be; divinity adieu. These metaphysics of magicians, And necromantic books, are heavenly. 4 Lines, circles, letters, characters: Aye, these are those that Faustus most desires. Of power, of honour, and omnipotence, Is promised to the studious artizan ! All things that move between the quiet poles Here tire my brains to get a deity. Enter WAGNER. Wagner, commend me to my dearest friends, Request them earnestly to visit me. WAG, I will, sir. [Exit. FAUST. Their conference will be a greater help to me Than all my labours, plod I ne'er so fast. Enter a GOOD and BAD ANGEL. GOOD ANG. O Faustus! lay that damned book aside, And gaze not on it lest it tempt thy soul, And heap God's heavy wrath upon thy head. Read, read the scriptures;-that is blasphemy. BAD ANG. Go forward, Faustus, in that famous art, Wherein all nature's treasure is contain’d. Be thou on earth as Jove is in the sky, Lord and commander of these elements. [Exeunt Angels. FAUST. How am I glutted with conceit of this! Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please? Resolve me of all ambiguities? Perform what desperate enterprise I will? And search all corners of the new-found world, Enter VALDES and CORNELIUS And make me blest with your sage conference. Know that your words have won me at the last Both law and physic are for petty wits; 'Tis magic, magic, that hath ravish'd me. Whose shadow made all Europe honour him. VAL. [To Faust.] These books, thy wit, and our experience, Shall make all nations to canonize us. Be always serviceable to us three : Like lions shall they guard us when we please; As thou to live, therefore object it not. CORN. The miracles that magic will perform, * Edit. 1616, reads " huge." |