Variorum Viewer

Chap. 10th

Day after day, week after week passed ^{^}away on my return to Geneva and I had not the courage to commence my work. I feared the vengeance of the disappointed fiend yet I

~~could not~~

^{^}I was unable to

overcome my repugnance

^{^}to the task

. ^{^}

My health ~~also~~ which had hitherto declined was now much restored, & my spirits when unchecked by the memory of my unhappy promise, rose propor

^{^}ti

onably. My father saw this with pleasure and he turned his thoughts towards the best me

^{^}t

hod of eradicating the remains of my melancholy– which every now and then would return by fits & with a devouring blackness overcast the approaching

~~day~~

^{^}sunshine

. At these moments I took refuge in the most perfect solitude: ~~& my deli~~

~~I used to~~

Alone in a little boat I passed whole days on the lake watching the clouds &

^{^}

listening to

the ripp

~~les~~

^{^}

ling

of the waves, silent & listless. But the fresh air and bright sun seldom failed ^{^}to restore me to some degree of composure& I on my return I met the

~~smi~~ salutations of my friends with a readier smile, &

^{^}

more cheerful heart

It was after my return from one of the ^{^}se rambles that my father calling me aside thus a

^{^}d

dressed me.

I am happy to remark, my dear son, that ~~lately~~ you have

~~acqu~~

resumed your former

pleasures & seem to be returning to yourself. And yet

so you are still unhappy & still avoid our society.

~~When I consider~~

For some time

my repugnance)X I found ^{^}also that I was unable to compose a female without ~~fresh~~ again devoting

^{^}several

months to study & laborious disquisition. I had heard ~~also~~ of some discoveries having been made by an

^{^}E

nglish philosopher the knowledge of which was material to w my

~~work.~~

^{^}success

^{^}and

I ~~thought~~ ✗—of writing som —✗etimes

^{^}thought

of obtainting my fathers consent to visit England for this purpose but I clung to

~~this~~

^{^}every

pretence of delay & could not resolve to interrupt my return ing tranquillity

But it is this gloom which appears to have taken too strong a hold of your mind that I wish to dissipate. Tell me therefore whether you object to an immediate solemnization of the marriage. We have been unfor

~~tunate~~

tunate, and recent events have drawn us from that every day tranquillity ~~so necess~~ befitting my years and infirmities. You are younger yet I do not suppose, possessed as you are of a competent fortune that an early marriage would at all interfere with any future plans of honour and utility

^{^}that

^{^}

you may have

formed

. ~~Yet~~ Do not suppose however that I wish to dictate happiness to you or that a delay on your part would cause me any

^{^}

serious

uneasiness; Interp

^{^}e

et my words with candour and answer me I conjure you with confidence and sincerity.

I listened to my father in silence and remained

^{^}

for

sometime without offering any reply. I revolved rapidly in my mind a multitude of

~~ideas~~

^{^}thoughts

and

d endeavoured to come to some conclusion. Alas! to me the idea of an immediate union with my cousin was one of horror and dismay. I was bound by a solemn promise which I had not yet fufilled and dared not break; or if I did what manifold miseries might not impend over me and my devoted family! ~~And~~ could I enter into a festival with this deadly weight yet hanging round my neck and bowing me to the ground. ✗—No,

~~^{^}that~~

I could not endure that —✗

~~and therefore resolved to~~

^{^}

I must

perform my engage ment and let the monster depart with his mate before I allowed myself to enjoy the delight of a union,

~~I should otherwise eagerly expect~~

^{^}from which I expected

. I remember

^{^}

also the necessity I was under of either

~~going~~

^{^}

journeying

to England or entering into a long correspondence with th

~~ose~~

^{^}e

~~men~~

^{^}philosophers

of that country whose knowledge and discoveries

~~might~~

^{^}

were

be of

~~inestimable~~

^{^}

indispensable

~~^{^}necess~~

to me

^{^}

in my present

undertaking

. The latter method of obtaining the desired intelligence was dilatory and unsatisfactory; besides

any

change of scene

was

agreable

and I was delighted with the idea of spending a year or two

~~away from~~

~~^{^}in absence from~~

✗—myfamily

—✗

^{^}

in change of scene & variety of

occupation

in absence from my family

during which

time ~~during this~~

~~time~~

~~which~~

~~time~~

some event might happen which would restore me to them in peace and happiness. My promise might be fulfilled, and the monster have departed or some

~~other~~ accident might

occur to destroy

him and put a _^n

end to my slavery for ever—These feelings dictated my answer to my father. I

~~said I~~

^{^}

expressed

my a

wish ed to visit England but concealing

^{^}

the

true reasons

~~for~~

^{^}

of this

request I clothed my desires under the guise of whwishing to travel and see the world before I sat down for life within the walls of my native town.¶

I urged my

~~request~~

^{^}

entreaty

with

earnestness

and my father was easily induced to

~~grant it~~

^{^}

comply;

for a ~~man~~ more indulgent

~~and~~

^{^}or a

less dictatorial parent did not exist upon earth. Our plan was soon arranged. I should travel to

Strasburgh

where Clerval would join

me and we should proceed down the Rhine together.

Some short time would be spent in the towns of

Holland but

our principal stay would be in England.

We should return by

France –& ~~and~~

was agreed that

this

tour should occupy the space of two years. ¶

My father pleased himself with the

reflection

that

I should be united to Elizabeth

immediately on my return to Geneva.

These

two

years,

said he,

will

pass

swiftly

and it will be the last delay that will oppose itself to your happiness.

And indeed

I earnestly desire that period to

arrive

when we shall all be

united

and neither hopes or fears arise to disturb our domestic

~~felicity~~

. calm.

content,

replied with

your arrangement. By that time we shall

^{^}

both

have

~~both~~ become

wiser

and I hope

happier

than we

^{^}

at present

are ~~now~~

sighed

but my father kindly forbore

~~to me que~~

question me

^{^}

further

concerning the cause of my

dejection–

He hoped that new

scenes

and the amusement of

travelling

would restore my

tranquillity

I now

~~arranged~~

^{^}

made arrangements

for my journey but one feeling haunted me which filled w me with fear and agitation. During my absence I should leave my friends unconscious of the existence of their enemy, and unprotected from his attacks,

~~and~~ exasperated as he might be by my departure. But he had promised to follow me wherever I might

go and would he not accompany me to England? This

~~idea~~

^{^}

imagination

was dreadful in itself but soothing in as much as

^{^}

it supposed the safety of

my friends ✗—would be in safety —✗. ~~Yet~~ I was agonized with

the

^{^}

idea of

possibility that the reverse of this might happen. Bu

^{^}t

~~ing~~

through the whole period during which I was the slave of my creature I allowed myself to be governby the impulses of the moment and my

~~sensa~~ present sensations strongly intimated

that the fiend would follow me and

~~free~~

^{^}exempt

~~friends~~

^{^}family

from the ~~possibility of~~ danger ^{^}of his machinations . ✗—Thinking thus I prepared for my journey with alarcrity. —✗ dreary imaginations I passed th

^{^}r

ough

^{^}many

beautiful & majestic scenes but my eyes were fixed & unobserving; I co could only thin

^{^}k

of the bourne of my travels & the work which was to occupy me whilst they endured. After some days spen

^{^}t

in listless indolence during which I

~~travere~~

traversed many leagues I arrived at Strasburgh where I waited two days for Clerval. He came; & alas, how great was the contrast between us. He was alive to every new scene; joyful when he saw the beauties of

~~sun~~

^{^}

the

set

^{^}ting

^{^}sun

and more happy when he saw it rise &recommence a new day. He pointed out to me the shifting colours l of the landscape & the appearances of the sky. This is what it is to live , he cried, now I enjoy existence. But you, my dear Frankenstein,

~~are~~

^{^}

wherefore are you

desponding &sorrowful?" Indeed I was occupied by gloomy thoughts and neither saw the

~~rise~~

^{^}

descent

of the evening star nor the golden sun

^{^}r

ise reflected in the Rhine; and you, my friend, would be far more amused with the journal of Clerval who observed the scenery with an eye of feeling & delight, than to listen to my reflections; I, a miserable wretch haunted by a curse that shut up every avenue to enjoyment. ¶

We had agreed to go down the Rhine in a boat from Strasbourgh to Rotterdam

~~from~~

whence we might take shipping for London. During this voyage we passed by many willowy islands & saw several beautiful towns. We staid a day at Manheim,

^{^}&

on the fifth from our departure from Strasbourgh, arrived at Mayence. The course of the Rhine below Mayence becomes much more picturesque. The river descends rapidly and winds between hills not high but steep and of beautiful forms. We saw many ruined cast l les standing on the edges of preci s pieces ✗—& the sl green slopes of the hills —✗ surrounded by black woods high & inaccessible. This part of the Rhine indeed presents a ~~wonderfully~~ singularly variegated lanscape. In ^{^}one spot you view rugged hills, ruined castl l es overlooking tremendous precipieces with the dark Rhine rushing beneath. And on the sudden turn of a p promontory flourishing vineyards & populous towns

with green sloping me banks & a meandering river occupy the scene. We travelled at the time of the vintage and heard the song of the labourers as we glided down the stream. Even I, depressed in mind, & my spirits continually agitated by gloomy feelings; even I was pleased. I lay at the bottom of the boat and as I gazed on the cloudless blue sky I

^{^}

seemed to

^{^}i

nk in a tranquillity to which I had long been a stranger. And if these were my sensations who can describe those of Henry. He felt as if he had been transported to fairy land and enjoyed a happiness seldom tasted by man. I have seen, he said, the most beautiful scenes of my own country. I have been on the lakes of Lucerne & Uri where the snowy mountains descend almost perpendicularly to the water casting black & impenetrable shades which

~~cast~~

^{^}

would cause

a gloomy & mournful appearance were it not for the most verdant islands that relieve the eye by their gay appearance. I have seen this lake agitated by a tempest when the wind tore up whirlwinds of water and gave you an idea of what the waterspout must be on the great ocean–and the waves dash with fury ^{^}on the

~~foot~~

^{^}base

of the

mountain

where the priest & his mistress were overwhelmed by an avelanche, & where their dying voices are still said to be heard amid the pauses of the night wind. I have seen the

~~lovely~~ mountains of la Valais & the pays de Vaud; But this country, Victor, pleases me more than all those wonders. The Mountains of Switzerland are more majestic & strange but there is a charm in the banks of this divine river that I never before saw equalled. Look at that castle which overhangs

~~that~~

^{^}

yon

precipiece; and that also on the island almost concealed among the foliage of those lovely trees–and now that group of laboures coming from among their vines; & that village half hid in the recess of the mountain. Oh Surely the spirit that inhabits & guards this place has a soul more in

~~sympathy~~

^{^}

harmony

with man than those who pile the glacier or retire to the inaccessible peaks of the mountains of our own country.

I smiled at the enthusiasm of my friend and remembered with a sigh the period when my eyes would have glistened with joy to behold the scenes

~~that~~

^{^}which

I now viewed. But the recollection of those days was too painful; I must shut out all thought to enjoy tranquillity, & that reflection alone is sufficient to poison every pleasure.¶

^{^}

[

At Cologne we descended to the plains of Holland & we resolved to post the remainder of our way for the wind was contrary & the stream of the river was too gentle to aid us. We now arrived at very different country. The soil was sandy and the wheels sunk deep in it. The towns of th

^{^}is

country are the most pleasing part of the scene. The Dutch are extremely neat but there is an awkwardness in their contrivances that often surprised us. In one place, I remember, a wind mill was ~~placed~~ situated in such a manner that the postillion was obliged to guide the carriage close to the opposite side of the road to escape from the sweep of its sails. The way often led between two canals where the road was only broard From Rotterdam we went by sea to England. It was on a clear morning in the latter ^{^}days of September that I first saw the white cliffs of Britain. The banks

^{^}

of the

Thames presented a new scene; they were flat but fertile & almost every town was marked by some story. Th We saw Tilbury Fort &remembered the Spanish Armada; Gravesend, Woolwich, Greenwich places which I had heard of even in my country. At length we saw the numerous steeples of London; & St Pauls towerering above all & the Tower famed in English History.