Bridge Phase 6: fMS box c56 chapt 2Frankenstein Variorum Project2023—Distributed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
License
Produced from a corpus of collation output files for
the Frankenstein Variorum digital edition on
2023-11-30T21:50:55.93184-05:00.
✗—✗—In this account of my early youth I wish particularly to mentionrecord those circumstances—✗ which led to and nourished my taste for that science which was the principal amusement of my boyish days and in ✗—the end decided my destiny—✗. I mentioned before my taste for old books of chemistry and natural magic and I remember very well that I learned latin principally that I might read Pliny's Natural History my father refusing to allow me to read a translation. I used when very young to attend lectures of chemistry given in Geneva and athough I did not understand them the experiments never failed to attract my attention. —✗I reme ^m beralso Chapt. 2 Those events which materially influence our future destinies are often causedby slight orderive thier origin from a trivial occurences. Strange as the^statement of the simple factmay appear my fate had beenChemist✗—✗—In this account of my early youth I wish particularly to mentionrecord record ^record those circumstances—✗ which led to and nourished my taste for that science which was the principal amusement of my boyish days and in ✗—the end decided my destiny—✗. I mentioned before my taste for old books of chemistry and natural magic and I remember very well that I learned latin principally that I might read Pliny's Natural History my father refusing to allow me to read a translation. I used when very young to attend lectures of chemistry given in Geneva and athough I did not understand them the experiments never failed to attract my attention. —✗I reme ^m berI reme ^^^m ^m beralsoalso Chapt. 2 Those events which materially influence our future destinies areare often causedcausedby slight orby slight orderive thier origin from a ^derive thier origin from a trivial occurencess. Strange as theStrange as the^^^statement of the statement of the ^statement of the simple factsimple factmay appear my fate had beenmay appear my fate had beenChemistChemistNatural philosophy
has is the genius that has regulated my
hashas is the genius that has regulated my
fate I wishdesire the irrefore
fate I wishwishdesire ^desire the irirrefore ^refore
in this
account of my early years
account of my early years
to
state
state
those facts which led to my
lovepursuitfirst aqu lovelovepursuitpursuitfirst aqu first aqu ^first aqu of that study.of that study.of that study.predeliction
for that science. ^predeliction
predeliction
for that science. When I was
eleven
eleven
years
old
old
we all went on a party of pleasure to
ThononThonon. and were confined therebobilobliged by the rainandtT he
ThononThononThonon. ^Thonon. and were confined thereand were confined therebbobilobilobliged by the rainobliged by the rainandandttT ^T he
inclemency of the weather obliged us to remain a day confined to the inn. In this house I chanced to
fin edd
fin ededd ^d
a
fo volume
fofo volume
s of the Works of Cornelius Agrippa.
ss of the Works of Cornelius Agrippa.
And I opened it with
AndAnd I opened it with
apathy
apathy butbutbut^^^^the theory
that
he
attempted
to
d demonstrate
and the wonderful facts
that
^the theory
that
that
he
attempted
attempted
to
d
d demonstrate
and the wonderful facts
that
^demonstrate
demonstrate
and the wonderful facts
that
that
he
relates chan
soon changed this feeling into
^he
relates chan
relates chanchan
soon changed this feeling into
continued to re withcontinued to re with enthusiasm. A new light
enthusiasm. A new light
dawned
dawned
upon my
mind and Icom
mind and IIcomcombounding with
joy
joy
I communicated my discovery to my father.
I cannot help here remarking the many opportunities parents^instructors haveposess of directing the attention of their pupils to useful knowledge, which they utterly neglect. My father looked carelessly at the tittle page of my book — Ah
I cannot help here remarking the many opportunities parentsparents^^^instructors ^instructors havehaveposess ^posess of directing the attention of their pupils to useful knowledge, which they utterly neglect. My father looked carelessly at the titttle page of my book — AhAh
and
and
said Ah!
said Ah!
Cornelius Agrippa!
— My dear
— My dear
Victor
Victor
do not waste your time upon
this –
this –
it is sad
trash. If
trash. If
instead of this
remark or rather exclamation
remark or rather exclamation
my father had taken the pains to
expound^lain expoundound^^^lain ^lain
to
me
me
that the principles
ofAgrippa
ofAgrippa
had been entirely
exploded. Andaan
exploded. AndAndaanaan
and that
anotheranotheranothera modern
^a modern
a modern
system of science had been
introduced
introduced
which possessed much greater
power
power
than the
ancient
ancient
because the powers of the
ancient
ancient
were
pretended and chimerical, while those of the
pretended and chimerical, while those of the
moderns are
moderns are
real and practical; under such
circumstances
circumstances
I should certainly have thrown Agrippa aside,
and
and
with
with
my
imagination
imagination
warmed as it
was wshould probably have aplied myself to m the more ra rational theory of chemistry which has at presenthas resulted from modern discoveries the approbation of the learned.
was wwsh^should probably have aplied myself to mm the more rara rational theory of chemistry which has at presenthas at presenthas resulted from modern discoveries ^has resulted from modern discoveries the approbation of the learned.the approbation of the learned.It is even
possible
that the train of my ideas
might
never have
recieved ^It is even
possible
possible
that the train of my ideas
might
might
never have
recieved
recieved that
fatal impulse
which
led
me to my ruin.
^that
that
fatal impulse
which
which
led
me to my ruin.
me to my ruin.
But the cursory glance my father had taken of my volume by no means assured me that he was acquainted with
the^thethe^^^its
^its
its
contents; and I continued to read with the
greatest
greatest
avidity. ¶ [ When I returned home, my first care was to procure
[ When I returned home, my first care was to procure
this^the thisthis^^^the ^the ^whole ^^^whole ^whole
works of this
author
author
and afterwards
those of Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus. I read and studied the wild fancies of
those of Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus. I read and studied the wild fancies of
the se authors
the se ^se authors
with
delight,
delight,
they appeared to me treasures known to few
besides myself; and, althoughI often wished to discovercommunicate these secret stores of knowledge from to my father
besides myself; and, althoughI often wished to discoverdiscovercommunicate ^communicate these secret stores of knowledge fromfrom to my father
yet his indefinite censure of my
yet his indefinite censure of my
favorite Agrippa,
favorite Agrippa,
always withheld me.
always withheld me.
I let I disclosed my
I letI let I disclosed my
secret
secret
to
to
Elizabeth
Elizabeth
therefore, under a
therefore, under a
strict promise of secrecy;
strict promise of secrecy;
but she did not interest herself in
but she did not interest herself in
themthemthemthe subject,
^the subject,
the subject,
and I was left by her to pursue my studies alone.
and I was left by her to pursue my studies alone.
–
– ¶ It may appear
very strange that
very strange that
a
a
descipledesciple
of Albertus Magnus
of Albertus Magnus
should arise in the eighteenth
century,
century,
but our family was not scientifical, and I
but our family was not scientifical, and I
diddiddidhad
^had
had
not attend ed any of the lectures given at Geneva.
not attend ed ^ed any of the lectures given at Geneva.
My dreams were
My dreams were
therefore undisturbed by
therefore undisturbed by
reality,
reality,
and
and
I entered with the
greates
greates
diligence into the search of the
philosophers
philosophers
stone and the
or if you chose petrum philosophaleelizer vior if you chose petrum philosophale^or if you chose petrum philosophale
or if you chose petrum philosophale
elizer vielizer vielixer
of
life ^elixer
elixer
of
life
life tæ.
tætæ.
But the latter
obtained my
obtained my
most undived attention;
most undived attention;
wealth was an inferior
object
object
but what
would be the glory
would be the glory
of
of
the
discovery
discovery
if I could
bestoforeverbanish disease from the human
bestobestoforeverforeverbanish disease from the human
frame
frame
and render man
unatainablebyunatainableunatainablebybyinvunerable
to ^invunerable
invunerable
to anyb b ^b ut
a ^ut
ut
a violent
death.
death.
¶ Nor were these my only
visions,
visions,
the raising of ghosts or devils
^was also a favour^^^was also a favourwas also a favourwas a promise liberally accorded by
^was a promise liberally accorded by
was a promise liberally accorded by
itepursuitandIf I never saw anyiteitepursuitpursuitandandIf I never saw anyIf I never saw anymy favourite
authors;
the fulfilment of which I most eagerly sought; ^my favourite
my favourite
authors;
authors;
the fulfilment of which I most eagerly sought; & if my incantations were always
unsuccessful
^& if my incantations were always
unsuccessful
unsuccessful
attributed
itititthe failure
^the failure
the failure
rather to my own inexperience
th and mistake, than ^to a want of skill ^or fidelity thth and mistake, than ^^^to a ^to a want of skill ^^^or fidelity ^or fidelity
in my
instructors . When I was about fifteen my f
instructors ^s . ¶ When I was about fifteen my fWhen I was about fifteen my fThe natural
¶ The natural
phænonema
phænonema
that
that
takes
takes
place every day before our eyes did not escape my
place every day before our eyes did not escape my
exa nm i mn ations. I rememberThefermentationof liquors – distillation
exa nnm ^m i mmn ^n ations. I rememberI rememberTheThefermentationfermentationof liquorsof liquors – didistillation
of which my
of which my
favorite
favorite
authors were utterly
authors were utterly
ignorant
^
ignorant
excited my
excited my
astonishment,
astonishment,
but my utmost wonder was
but my utmost wonder was
causedby ancausedcausedby anby anengaged by some
experiements ^engaged by some
engaged by some
experiements
experiements air pumpelectrical machine on an air pumpair pumpair pumpelectrical machine electrical machine ^electrical machine on an air pump^on an air pumpwhich I saw employed
^employed
employed
usedused by a gentleman whom we were in the habit of visiting. The ignorance of
by a gentleman whom we were in the habit of visiting. ¶ The ignorance of
my philosopher ess
my philosopher esess ^s
on these and several other
on these and several other
points,
points,
served to decrease
served to decrease^^^^thier ^thier
credit with
credit with
^me –
^^^me ^me –
but I could not entirely throw them
but I could not entirely throw them
aside
aside
before
before
anyanyanysome some
^some some
somesome some
other system
other system
cocccocccoccshould
^should
should
occupiey doccupieiey ^y d
their place
their place
., in my
.., ^, in my
mind–
mind–¶ [wWhen I was about
[wwW^When I was about
twelvefourteen twelvetwelvefourteen ^fourteen
years
old
old
we
were at
were at
our house near
Belrive
Belrive
when we witnessed
the a violent atand terrible thunder storm
thethe a violent atatand ^and terrible thunder storm
it advanced from behind
Jura ✗—and the —✗
Jura ✗—and the —✗
and the thunder
✗—was heard at once from —✗the d✗—several quartersof the heavens and —✗ burst ✗—was heard at once from —✗the dthe d✗—several quarteseveral quartersrsof the heavens and —✗ burst at once
^at once
at once
with
andfrightful
andandfrightful
loudness.
loudness. ^^^^from various quarters of the
heavens ^from various quarters of the
heavens
heavens
I
✗ —witnessed th ise elemental —✗storm with pleasureand remained✗—witnessed th isise ^e elemental —✗storm with pleasurestorm with pleasureand remained^ed
while
itititthe storm
^the storm
the storm
lasted at lasted atatwatching
its ^watching
its
its its progress with curiosity &
its progress with curiosity &
delight the doorwatching. When it was most
delight the doorthe doorwatchinwatchingg. When it was mostWhen it was mostAs I stood at the
door ^As I stood at the
door
door violent ,
violentviolent ,
on a sudden ^on a sudden I beheld
the^thethe^^^a stream of
^a stream of
a stream of
fire issue from an old
be and beautiful
bebe and beautiful
oak
oak
about
wh twenty yards from our
whwh twenty yards from our
house
house
and
whenwhenwhenso soon as
^so soon as
so soon as
the
dazzdazzling light
dazzdazzdazzling light
haddissadissappearedthepa vanished, the oak
hadhaddissadissadissappeareddissappearedthethepapa vanished, the oak
handhad
handhandhad
dissappeared
dissappeared ananan&^& nothing remained ^remained but a
rent^rentrent^^^blasted
^blasted
blasted
stump.
remained . When we visited it the next
remainedremained . When we visited it the next
morning
morning
we found the
trea tree shattered in a singular manner. It was not splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin
treatrea tree shattered in a singular manner. It was not splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin
ribands
ribands
of wood.
TheC I never
TheTheCC I never
saw
saw
any thing
any thing
so utterly destroyed.
The catastrophe of
The catastrophe of
the
the
tree excited my extreme
tree excited my extreme
astonishment✗—andcaused^induced me to aply wiithfresh diligence to the study of chemistrynatural philosophy which promised an exclamatio planation of th ei se sort of —✗astonishment✗—andandcausedcaused^^^induced ^induced me to aply wime to aply wiithithfresh difresh diligence to the study of chemistrychemistrynatural philosophy ^natural philosophy which promised an exclamatioclamatio planation of th eei ^i se sort of —✗
I
I
as eagerly
asas eagerly
enquired
enquired
of my father
of my father
what^whatwhat^^^the nature &
the origin of
^the nature &
the nature &
the origin of
the origin of
thunder and
thunder and
lightening. was.
lightening. was.was.
He replied,
He replied,
electricity;
electricity;
describing at the same time the
describing at the same time the
effect
effect
of that power. He
of that power. He
madeconstructed a small electrical
mademadeconstructed ^constructed a small electrical
machine
machine
and exhibited a few
and exhibited a few
experiments and made a kite
experiments and made a kite
with a wire &
with a wire &^&
string
string andandandwhich
^which
which
drew down that fluid from the clouds.
drew down that fluid from the clouds.
This last
¶ This last
blowst stroke
blowblowstst stroke
compleated
compleated
the overthrow of Cornelius Agrippa, Albertus
the overthrow of Cornelius Agrippa, Albertus
Magnus
Magnus
and Paracelsus, who had so long reigned the lords of my imagination. But by some fatality I did not feel
and Paracelsus, who had so long reigned the lords of my imagination. But by some fatality I did not feel
enclined to commence any modern system
enclined to commence any modern system
and this
and this
inclinationinclinationinclinationdisinclination
^disinclination
disinclination
was influenced by the following circumstance. My father expressed a wish that I should attend a course of lectures upon natural philosophy, to which I
was influenced by the following circumstance. ¶ My father expressed a wish that I should attend a course of lectures upon natural philosophy, to which I
^cheerfully consented ✗—and ✗—one evening —✗ that I spent in town at the house of Clerval's father I ✗—heard that Mr — was lef at —✗ met M. O P a proficient in Chemistry who left the company at an early hour to h give his lecture upon thant science enquiring as he went out —✗if any one would him I wentbut^^^cheerfully ^cheerfully consented ✗—and ✗—one evening —✗ that I spent in town at the house of Clerval's father I ✗—heard that Mr — was lef at —✗ met M. O PO P a proficient in Chemistry who left the company at an early hour to hh give his lecture upon thannt^t science enquiring as he went out —✗if any one would him I wentif any one would him I wentbutbutSome accident prevented my attending
the series of these lectures ^Some accident prevented my attending
Some accident prevented my attending
the series of these lectures
the series ofseries of these lectures this lecture was unfortunately nearly theuntil they were nearly over they it was nearly finihsed. The lastlecture which I attended being thus the almost the last in his in his course ^was entirely incomprehensible to me. –
this lecture was unfortunately nearly thethis lecture was unfortunately nearly theuntil they were nearly over they it was nearly finihsed. The ^until they were nearly over they were nearly over theythey it was nearly finihsed. The lastlastlecture which I attended being thus the almost the last in his ^lecture which I attended being thus thethe almost the last in his in his in his course ^^^was entirely incomprehensible to me. ^was entirely incomprehensible to me. –
the professor
the professor
talked
talked
with the greatest fluency of potassium
with the greatest fluency of potassium
&Boron zinc bismuth –
&Boron zinc bismuthzinc bismuth –
of
of
sulphats
sulphats
and
and
oxids and displayed so many
oxids and displayed so manyand displayed so manywordswordswordsterms
^terms
terms
to which I could not affix anyno idea: that to which I could notnot affix anyanyno ^no idea: thatthat
I
I
was
was
disgusted with
disgusted with
the appearanceof a science that appeared to me to contain only words. From this time untill I went to Colledge I entirely neglected my formerly adored study of the appearancethe appearanceofof a science that appeared to me to contain only words. ¶ From this time untill I went to Colledge I entirely neglected my formerly adored study of chemistrychemistrychemistrythe science of
^the science of
the science of
natural
philosophy ^natural
natural
philosophy
philosophy although I still read with delight Pliny and Buffons authors that stood about on a parthat stood about on a pararof^arofararofofin my
in my
estimation
estimation
of nearly equal interest & utility.
^of nearly equal interest & utility.
of nearly equal interest & utility.
My
¶ My
studiesstudiesstudiesoccupations
^occupations
occupations
at this age were
at this age were
th principally the mathematics,
thth principally the mathematics,
which I delighted in an and most of the branches of study appertaining
which I delighted in anwhich I delighted in an and most of the branches of study appertaining
th to that science. I was
thth to that science. I was
also busily employed in learning
also busily employed in learning
languages
languages
Latin was
Latin was
^already ^^^already ^already
familiar to
familiar to
me and I began to read without the help of the dictionarylexicon some of the easiest greek authors. –I also understood English & german perfectly: th eseis areis list of my accomplishments at thattimethe period the age of
me and I began to read without the help of the dictionarydictionarylexicon ^lexicon some of the easiest greek authors. –I also ^also understood English & german perfectly: th eseeseis ^is areareis ^is list of my accomplishments at thatthattimetimethe period the age of ^ththe periode period the age of
and you may conceive that my hours were fully
and you may conceive that my hours were fully
employd
employd
in acquiring and maintaining a knowledge
in acquiring and maintaining a knowledge
of this various literature.
of this various literature.
¶ ✗—As I before mentioned my brothers were much younger than myself. Ernest the second of our family was five —✗Another task ✗—As I before mentioned my brothers were much younger than myself. Ernest the second of our family was five —✗¶ Another task soonsoonsoon^^^^also
^also
also
devolved upon
devolved upon
me
me
when I became the instructor of my brothers. Ernest was
when I became the instructor of my brothers. Ernest was
five
five
years younger than myself, and was my principal pupil. He had been
years younger than myself, and was my principal pupil. He had been
aflicted
aflicted
with ill health from his
with ill health from his
infancy
infancy &&&thro
which ^thro
thro
which
which Elizabeth and I had been his constant
Elizabeth and I had been his constant
m nurses Imm nurses II
his disposition was
his disposition was
gentle but he was incapable any severe application. William
gentle but he was incapable any severe application. William
the
the
younge erst
younge ererst ^st
of our
of our
family
family
was
was
quite a child
quite a child
and the most beautiful little fellow in the
and the most beautiful little fellow in the
world,
world,
his lively blue
his lively blue
eyes
eyes
dimpled
dimpled
cheeks
cheeks
and
and
affectionate endearing
affectionateaffectionate endearing
manners
manners
inspired the tenderest affection.
inspired the tenderest affection.
Such was our domestic
Such was our domestic
circle
circle
from which care and pain seemed for ever banished.
from which care and pain seemed for ever banished.
f My father directed our
ff My father directed our
studies
studies
and my mother partook of our enjoyments.
and my mother partook of our enjoyments.
we were all equalwe were all equalwe nonewe noneneither
^neither
neither
of us possessed
of us possessed
an envied preheminence
an envied preheminence
over the
over the
other
other
the voice of command was never heard
the voice of command was never heard
among us
among us
but mutual affection engaged us all to comply
but mutual affection engaged us all to comply
with,
with, ^,
&
&
toobey the slightest desire of each other.
to^toobey the slightest desire of each other.
