The inner nature of these two did stand Already then before my spirit's eye When first I dared to tread the realm of souls. As a young man I saw Capesius, And Strader in the years he hath not reached By some long span as yet. Capesius Did show a youthful promise which conceals Much that this life will not allow to come To due fruition in the realms of sense. I was attracted to his inner self: In his soul's essence I could first behold What is the essential kernel of a man; And how a man's peculiarities In earthly life do manifest themselves As consequences of some former life. I saw the struggles that he overcame, Which in his other lives had origin, And which have shaped his present mode of life. I could not see his death-discarded selves With my soul's vision, yet I did perceive Within his nature that which could not rise From his surroundings as they are today. Thus in the picture I could reproduce, What dwells within the basis of his soul. My brush was guided by the powers, which he Unfolded in his former lives on earth. If thus I have revealed his inmost self, My picture will have served the aim, which I Did purpose for it in my thought: for as A work of art I do not rate it high. MARIA: It will confirm its work within that soul Which it hath showed the path to spirit-realms. Curtain falls whilst Maria and Johannes are still in the room SCENE 9 Same region as in Scene 2. From rocks and springs resounds: 'O man, feel thou thyself.' JOHANNES: O man, feel thou thyself! For three long years I have sought strength of soul, with courage winged, Which doth give truth unto these words, whereby A man may free himself to conquer first; Then conquering himself may freedom find Through these same words: 'O man, feel thou thyself.' (From rocks and springs resounds: 'O man, feel thou thyself.') I note their presence in mine inmost soul, Their whispered breathing thrills my spirit-ear; And hid within themselves they bear the hope, That they will grow and lead man's spirit up, Out of his narrow self to world-wide space, E'en as a giant oak mysteriously Builds his proud body from an acorn small. Spirit can cause to live in its own self All weaving forms of water and of air, And all that doth make hard the solid earth. Man too can grasp whate'er hath ta'en firm hold Of being, in the elements, in souls, In time, in spirits and eternity. The whole world's essence lies in one soul's core, When such power in the spirit roots itself, Which can give truth unto these selfsame words: O man, experience and feel thyself-- (From rocks and springs resounds: 'O man, feel thou thyself.')