Faust is certainly a very striking piece. The idea is so wild and yet so natural. A man who has exhausted himself in study, finding nothing new or interesting or solid in this world longs for an acquaintance with the more powerful spiritual creation. He accordingly dabbles in magic until he gets the Devil in the shape of Mephistophiles, a travelling student into his company, who is at liberty to tempt and torment him as much as he likes. Perhaps the most singular and German idea is the prologue in which the Deity with all his angels is introduced discussing matters with Mephistophiles and giving him permission to go after Faust. I was shocked and yet what is it more than Milton has done? Perhaps the idea of representation makes the difference.

I went to the Office where I wrote my Diary and in a book of a curious description in which about this time for many years past, I have been in the habit of once recording my feeling of the moment.1 Perhaps as good a moral may be drawn from it as from any thing 39in this world. Walk. Dropped in to look at the Statues with which I was more pleased. Ovid.

Afternoon, took a vacation from work to read a pleasant book, the Bubbles, but I think his theory about the Classics is a thorough Bubble. He is a military man. Evening Mrs. Jameson, Diary of an Ennuyé,2 and Faust.