Forgive me, Lord! _God._ Rise, mortal! Look on me. _Festus._ Oh! I see nothing but like dazzling darkness. _Lucifer._ I knew how it would be. I am away. _Festus._ I am thy creature, God! Oh, slay me not, But let some angel take me, or I die. _Genius._ Come hither, Festus. _Festus._ Who art thou? _Genius._ I am One who hath aye been by thee from thy birth, Thy guardian angel, thy good genius. _Festus._ I knew thee not till now. _Genius._ I am never seen In the earth's low thick light; but here in heaven, And in the air which God breathes, I am clear. I tell to God each night thy thoughts and deeds; And watching o'er thee both on earth and here, Pray unto Him for thee, and intercede. _Festus._ And this is heaven. Lead on. Will God forgive, That I did long to see Him? _Genius._ It is the strain Of all high spirits towards Him.... Come, I will show thee Heaven and all angels. Lo! the recording angel. _Festus._ Him I see High seated, and the pen within his hand _Plumed like a storm-portending cloud which curves_ _Half over heaven_, and swift, in use divine, As is a warrior's spear! _Genius._ And there the Book of Life which holds the names, _Formed out in starry brilliants_, of God's sons-- The spirit-names which angels learn by heart Of worlds beforehand. Wilt thou see thine own? _Festus._ My name is written in the Book of Life. It is enough. That constellated word Is more to me and clearer than all stars, Henceforward and for aye. _Genius._ Raise still thine eyes! Thy gleaming throne!--hewn from that mount of light Which was before created light or night, Never created, heaven's eternal base, Whereon God's throne is 'stablished.--Sit on it! _Festus._ Nay, I will forestall nothing more than sight." The various scenes of which the drama is composed follow in no intelligible order; it is rarely that one seems to lead to the other. Festus, after this extraordinary visit into heaven, is the same Festus that he was before. He descends to earth to make rapturous love to Helen, or he wanders through all the worlds of space, the same discontented and mystified mortal. At length, after having explored the whole universe, and apparently escaped from Space itself, he is suddenly elevated by Lucifer to the throne of this planet earth.