"_Scene A gathering of Kings and Peoples._ _Festus_ (_throned._) Princes and Peoples! Powers, once, of earth! It suits not that I point to ye the path By which I reached this sole supreme domain-- This mountain of all mortal might. Enough, That I am monarch of the world--the world. Let all acknowledge loyally my laws, And love me as I them love. It will be best. No rise against me can stand. I rule of God; And am God's sceptre here. Think not the world Is greater than my might--less than my love-- Or that it stretcheth further than mine arm. Kings! ye are kings no longer. Cast your crowns Here--for my footstool." In this wonderful position he does nothing, nor has time to do anything. He has no sooner assumed his throne than his subjects all die off. The world has come to an end. "_Festus._ Hark! thou fiend! dost hear? _Lucifer._ Ay! it is the death-groan of the sons of men, Thy subjects--King! _Festus._ Why hadst thou this so soon? _Lucifer._ It is God who brings it all about--not I. _Festus._ I am not ready--and--it shall not be! _Lucifer._ I cannot help it, monarch! and--it is! Hast not had time for good? _Festus._ One day--perchance. _Lucifer._ Then hold that day as an eternity. _Festus._ All round me die. The earth is one great deathbed." Then follows a millennium, and, after that, Judgment Day. All mankind are saved, and not man only--Lucifer and all his host are re-admitted into Heaven. To Satan, his former throne--which has been preserved vacant for him--is restored, together with all his pristine glory. The drama ends in universal and eternal felicity. Having said thus much of the plot, we may look a little closer at the philosophy and poetry of this strange performance. We shall touch as lightly as possible upon that admixture of Hegelian metaphysics and evangelical divinity, which, as we have said, constitutes the speculative portion of the work. It occupies, however, no inconsiderable space in the poem. On one occasion Festus pours into the ear of his mistress, in an unbroken harangue of about nine hundred lines, the profound knowledge he has acquired from his supernatural resources. Love is proverbially patient, and Helen listens--at least does not interrupt. Here are some fragments that will show how severely he must have tasked her apprehension. A spirit is speaking in one of the innumerable visions which everywhere obscure the poem.