Chapter VI · "Faust"

The love story in Gounod's opera—Ancient bondsmen of the devil— Zoroaster, Democritus, Empedocles, Apollonius, Virgil, Albertus Magnus, Merlin, Paracelsus, Theophilus of Syracuse,—The myth-making capacity—Bismarck and the needle-gun—Printing, a black art—Johann Fust of Mayence—The veritable Faust—Testimony of Luther and Melanchthon—The literary history of Dr. Faustus—Goethe and his predecessors—Faust's covenant with Mephistopheles—Dr. Faustus and matrimony—The Polish Faust—The devil refuses to marry Madame Twardowska—History of Gounod's opera—The first performance— Popularity of the opera—First productions in London and New York— The story—Marguerite and Gretchen—The jewel song—The ballet.