Faust monologue (Act 9) — Faust: A Tragedy

[_alone_] Spirit Supreme! thou gav'st me--gav'st me all, For which I asked thee. Not in vain hast thou Turned toward me thy countenance in fire. Thou gavest me wide Nature for my kingdom, And power to feel it, to enjoy it. Not Cold gaze of wonder gav'st thou me alone, But even into her bosom's depth to look, As it might be the bosom of a friend. The grand array of living things thou mad'st To pass before me, mad'st me know my brothers In silent bush, in water, and in air. And when the straining storm loud roars, and raves Through the dark forest, and the giant pine, Root-wrenched, tears all the neighboring branches down And neighboring stems, and strews the ground with wreck, And to their fall the hollow mountain thunders; Then dost thou guide me to the cave, where safe I learn to know myself, and from my breast Deep and mysterious wonders are unfolded. Then mounts the pure white moon before mine eye With mellow ray, and in her softening light, From rocky wall, from humid brake, upfloat The silvery shapes of times by-gone, and soothe The painful pleasure of deep-brooding thought. Alas! that man enjoys no perfect bliss, I feel it now. Thou gav'st me with this joy, Which brings me near and nearer to the gods, A fellow, whom I cannot do without. All cold and heartless, he debases me Before myself, and, with a single breath, Blows all the bounties of thy love to nought; And fans within my breast a raging fire For that fair image, busy to do ill. Thus reel I from desire on to enjoyment, And in enjoyment languish for desire.