Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-10-27
WHOLE NO. 2, ,497.

i OF dangers ana terror; hecauSe al
: every new incident, your fortitude
!, was TO be called forth, and your
o courage exhibited; because danger
{ and death surrounded, and these
0 dangers you were to brave and
, overcome. For this was it glori-
+ Gus, for this was it an honorable
J undertaking. You. were hereafter
2 to be hailed as the benefactOrs Of
: your species; your names adored,
as belonging to brave men who en-
countered death for the honor and
: benefit Of mankind. And now, be-
} hold, with the first Imagination OF
danger, or II you will, the first
mighty and terrific trial of your
courage, you shrink away, and are
content to be handed down as men
who had not strength enough to
endure cold and peril, and so, poor
souls, they were chilly, ard return
ed-to their warm firesidea. Why,
that requires not this preparation
ye need not haveco thus far, and
dragged your captain to the shame
of a defeat, merely to prove your
selves towards. OH be men, or be
more than men. Be steady TO your
purpose, and firm as rock. This
ice is not made of such stuff as your
hearts might be; it Is mutable, can
not withstand you, il you say that
it shall not. Do not return TO your
families with the stigma of disgrace
marked on your brows. Return as
heroes who have fought and con-
quered, and who know not what
it is to turn their backs on the foe"
He spoke this with a voice so
modulated to the different feelings
expressed in his speech, with an eye
so full of lofty design and heroism,
that can you wonder that these
men were moved? ? They looked at
one another, and were unable to re-
ply. spoke; told them to retire
and consider of what had been said;
that 1 would not lead them further
north, If they strenuously desired
the contrary but that hoped that,
with reflection, their courage would
return.
They retired, and turned toward
my friend; but he was sunk in
languor, and almost deprived Of life.
How all this will terminate, /
know not but / had rather die,
than return shamefully,--my pur-
pose unfulfilled. Yet l fear such
will be my fate; the men, unsup-
fported by the ideas Of glory and
honor, can never willingly continue
to endure their present hardships.
September 7th.
The die is cast I have consented
to return, il we are not destroyed.
Thus are my hopes blasted by cow
rlsaa an,l frIaaf,,nn I nnpan kanlr
ignorant and disappointed. 1t re-
quires more philosophy than l pos
sess, to bear this injustice with pa
tience.
September 18th.
1t is past-I am returning TO En-
gland. l have lost my hopes of
utility and glory; 1 have lost my
friend. But / will endeavor TO de-
tail these bitter circumstances to
you, my dear sister; and while /
am waited toward England, and
toward you, / will not despond.
September 10th, the Ice began to
move, and roarings like thunder
were heard at a distance, AS the is-
land split and cracked in every di-
rectiOn. We were in the most im-
minent peril but as we could only
remain passive, my chief attention
was occupied by my unfortunate
guest, whose illness increased in
such degree that he was entirely
confined 10 his bed. The ice crack
ed behind us, and was driven with
force toward the north; a breeze
sprung from the west, and on the
1lth the passage toward the south
became perfectly free. When the
sailors saw this, and that their re-
turn to their native country was APP
parently assured, Il shout of tumult-
uous joy broke from them, loud and
long continued. Frankenstin, who
was doing, awoke, and asked the
cause of the tumult.
"They shout" l said, because
they will soon return to England"
"Do you then really return ?"
"Alas yes; l cannot withstand
their demands. / cannot lead them
unwillingly 10 danger, aud / must
return"
"Do so, II you will, but will not.
You may give up your purpose, but
mine il assigned TO me 10y Heaven,
and l dare not. / am weak, but
surely the spirits who assist my
vengeance Will endow me with suf-
ficient strength" Saying this, no
endeavored to spring from the bed,
put the eXertion was too great for
him, he fell back and tainted.
1t was long before he was restored,
and ] often thought that life was
entirely extinct. At length he
opened his eyes, but he breathed
with difficulty, and was unable to
speak. The surgeon gave him
composing draught, and ordered US
to leave him uddisturbed. In the
meantime, he told me that my
friend had certainly not many hours
to live.
His sentence was pronounced!
and / could only grieve, and be pa
tient. i sat by his bed watching
him; his eyes were closed, and
thought he slept but presently he
called to me In a feeble voice, and
bidding me come near, said,-
"Alas the strength that | relied
on Is gone; | feel that ! shall soon
die, and he, my enemy and persecu-
tor, may still be In being. Think
not, Walton, that in the last mo
fnents of my existence | feel that
burning hatred, and ardent desire
for revenge, / once expressed, but :
/ feel myself justified in desiring
the death of my adversary. During
these last days / have been occupied
in examining my past conduct, nor
do find il blamable. In fit OF
enthusiastic madness / created a
rational creature, and was bound
toward him, to assure, as FAR as II
was i'm my power, his happiness and
well beng. This was my duty, but
there WAS still another, paramount
to that. My duties toward my fell
low creatures had greater claims 10
my attention, because they included
a greater proportion Of happiness or
misery. Urged by this view, re-
fused, and did right in refusing to-
create companion for the first crea-
ture. lie showed unparalleled
malignity and selfishnes5 In evil;
he destroyed my friends; ho devo-
ted to destruction beings who pos
sessed exquisite sensations, happi-
nesS, aud wisdom nor do i knew
where this thirst for vengeance may
end. Miserable himself, that lac
may rcldrr no other wrctchCd, lie
ought tu die. The task OF his de-
struction was mine, but / have fall
cd. When actuated by selfish aud
vicious motives, / asked you To un-
dertake my unfinished work ; and
renew this request now, when |
am nnly iuduppfl nv rpasOn and viz