DOCTOR FAUST

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 189, 12 August 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

DOCTOR FAUST

DR. FAUST was a man who held commune with the devil. Throwing aside all thoughts of an ordinary vocation, he spent the entire inheritance left him by a rich uncle in dabbling with things pertaining to the spirit world. Although there are many who aver that Dr. Faust never lived and that he was nothing but the child of some romancers fertile brain, yet there lived many who claimed to have known him personally. Whether he be an historical figure or no, the fact remains "that around the my.-tirious life of this strange personage has been built up a wealth of literal lire. Dr. John I'au-t. now lives in some of the greatest work- <■ t (lermanv. namely, the fine poem of Klinger ("His Life, Deeds and Descent Into Hell"), and the celebrated "Faiisf." ~f (loethe. The legend penetrated even to England, where (hristuphcr .Marlowe, a predecessor of the immortal Shakespeare, wrote a drama on the subject. tradition states his birthplace as Knitt I ingen in Suabia, but, as is oil "ii the case witb legendary figures, otlii r places, such as Anlialt and j-iran- ■ cienbei-g, are said to have been his native town. At the age of 15 he was set on the road to a normal profession, studying theology at Ingolstadt, but, although after three suecesstul years he had • pa>secl all his examinations and had been installed in a good position, he abandoned all thoughts of a legal career. ; Clergyman's Son Was His Partner this was the time when he began to study astrology, medicine, science and magic, taking with him a close friend, Johann Wagner, son of a Wasserburg cleigyman. J-or many years he concentrated on his studies, delving into chemistry and alchemy, and at last solved the question of conjuring up spirits. ° So successful was he in the art ol black magic that lie was able to get in league with Satan himself. He then entered into a 20-year contract with the King of the Xethcr. Regions. To complete the contract a spirit named Mephistophek's was sent to him as a servant. He was also given an extraordinary power. He was able to journey about the country, enjoy life to the 'full and gain gieat fame by working all manner of wonders. It is said that when he was at Leipzig he rode out of a cellar on a barrel of wine, and there is still a picture there depicting the queer event. Satan finally carried him off to his Kingdom of the Underworld near the village of Rimlieh between midnight and one o clock in the morning. Of course, most people (loubt not onlv this story but the whole of his existent. However, if is found in several books, including W eidcrmanivs -'True History of the Horrible Sins of Dr. John Faust us, published in Hamburg in 1000 '-'i ~ lol , lu ' r T» ri »te<l at Xuremburg' he Enchanterer and Sorcerer Known Throughout the World, with the Devil, His Ad\ enturous Life and Terrible End." What was the secret of this man's evil power? How was he able to speak to Satan and have the assistance of one oT his powerful emissaries? Perhaps it is only a fable, or perhaps he was <£>—

Greatest Of AH Dabblers In Black Magic By--George Murliss an expert in the hidden secrets of science and the mind. Many people imagine that they can conjure up all sorts of visions, and that they can speak to their relatives now departed from this earthly sphere, but none have the power that was given to this expert in Black Art. In Germany even now Dr. Faustus and his friend, W'agner, are found in the puppet shows. They are the German counterpart of the British Punch and Judy. Faust is a national figure found not only among the lower classes but incorporated .into the finest music and literature. There was another man named •Tohann Faust or Fust, a goldsmith, who is generally known as an inventor of printing. Many of his exploits are often attributed to the more famous doctor. <S>

Be <Ed not exactly invent printing, fcr in all probability he did no more help the actual inventor with money. With the growth of a free education and a religion freed from superstition of the Medieval ages, the modem generation sees in magic only an imaginary art believable only by simple and ignorant people. Gone are the days when witches wed to brew their ghastly love potions o*it of all manner of disgusting ingredients, and when wizards used to cast a doatHspell on an enemy, but some forms of magic are with os even now. We Mtc all heard of the seance in a dark roots round a table, when spooky voices are heard and the table is felt to move. So many fakes have been connected with these mysterious events that many jieople no longer believe. It is true that Maori people have been known to die when under the evil eve of the tohunga, when they have had the makutu, or spell. cast on them, but this fluid race cannot be compared with the civilised races of to-day. Perhaps, Dr. Faust us had -ome such knowledge as the Maori tohunga of to-dav. some power that has been lost to us, but when all facts are weighed they are found wanting. We can believe that Dr. Faurtus or Faust was actually an historical person but his exploits, and especially his de-cent into hell, are extreme!v doubtful. Most likely it is that around the figure of an unusual man. a delver into tlie Black Art. has been been built up a tradition which is more legend than truth.