Lord Francis Leveson Gower has attempted to translate Faust, and considering the enormous difficulty of the task has pretty well suc-41ceeded. But many passages he in despair utterly omits and others he does not fully render. The scene in the Cathedral and that in the prison strike me the most, although as much perhaps from the allegorical meaning they can be made to convey as from the Poetry which in contrast is finely managed. If I was called upon to say what I did not like, I should say the doubting tone of the piece. The sarcasm upon wisdom and religion without any confirmation of sound principles. The spirit of evil has got possession of Faust. He seduces Margaret, who poisons her Mother and kills her child. Margaret’s position is strictly dramatic being innocent of all but loving with weakness. She is made religious but her religion aids her little and the last scene fine as it is, might have been improved by a little less of frenzy and more of the spirit of piety and reliance upon the Deity. This would have made a moral which on the whole the piece a little wants.

I went to the office where I passed a couple of hours as usual and then a walk—After which the battle of the Centaurs and Lapithae in Ovid. The afternoon was passed in arranging papers. Evening Mr. Brooks being out, I read to my Wife part of the translation of Faust, which Nathl. Hall finally interrupted. Mr. Brooks was out.