Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-08-18

infallible misery. Learn from me,
if not by my precepts, at least by
my example, how dangerous is the
acquirment of knowledge, and how
much happier that man is who be-
lieves his native town to be the
world, than he who aspires to be-
come greater than his nature will
allow.
When I found so astonishing a
power placed within my hands, |
hesitated a long time concerning
the manner in which | should en-
plOy it. Although l possessed the
capacity of bestoWing animation,
yet to prepare frame for the recep-
ton Of it, with all its intricacies of
fibers, muscles, and veins, still re-
mained work of incOnceivable
difficulty and labor. | doubted at
first whether / should attempt the
creation of being like myself or
one of simpler organization but
my Imagination WAS too much eXal-
ted by my first success to permit
me to doubt of my ability to
give life to an animal as complex
and wonderful as man. The
materials at present within my
command hardly appeared ade-
quate to so arduOuS an undertake
ing but | doubted not that | should
ultimately succeed. | prepared
myself for multitude of reverses /;
my operations might be necessarily
batf1ed, and at last my work be
imperfect; ; yet, when [ consider
the improvement which every day
takes place in science and machan-
les, / was encouraged to hope my
present attempts would at least lay
the foundations of future success.
Nor could | consider the magni-
tude and compleXity of my plan as
any argument Of its impractability.
1t was with these feelings that | be-
gan the creation of d human being.
AS the minutenesS of the parts
formed great hinderance to my
speed, l resolved contrary to my
first intention, to make the being
of gigantic statue; that is to say,
about eight feet in height, and pro-
pOrtionately large, After having
formed this determination, and
having spent some months in sue
cessfully collecting and arranging
my materials, / began. No one can
conceive the variety of feelings
which bore me onward, like hur-
ricane, in the first enthusiasm of
success. Life and death appeared
to me ideal bounds, which | should
first break through, and pour tor
rent Of light into our dark world.
A new species would bless me as
its creator and source; many hap
py and excellent natures would owe
their being to me. No father could
claim the gratitute of his child
so completely as | should deserve
theirs. Pursuing these reflections,
l thought, that if l could bestOw an
imation upon lifeless matter, l
might iE process of time (althOugh
l now found it impOssible) renew
life where death had apparently de-
voted the body to corruption.
These thoughts supported my
spirits, while l pursued my under
taking with unremitting ardor.
My cheek had grown pale with
study, and my person had become
emaciated with confinement. Some
times, on the very brink of certain
ty, | failed yet still | clung to the
hope, which the next day or the
next hour might realize. One secret
which l alone possessed was the
hope To which | had dedicated my
self; and the moon gaZed ON my
midnight labOrs, while, with unre-
laXed and breathleSS eagerneSs, |
pursued nature to her hiding plac-
pS. Who shall conceive the horrors
OF my secret toll, as 1 dabbled
among the unhalIOwed damps of the
grave, or tortured the living ami
NAL to animate the lifeless clay :?
My limbs no ~ tremble and my eyes
swim with the remembrance; but
then a resiStsless and almost frantic
impulse urged me forward ; SEEM
ed to have lost all soul or sensation
but for this one pursuit. 1t was in
deed but passing trance, that only
made me feel with renewed acute
ness so soon as, the unnatural slim
ulOus ceasing to operate, l had re-
turned TO my old habits. / collec-
ted bones from charnel-hOuses, and
disturbed, with profane fingers, the
tremendous secrets of the human
frame. In solitary chamber, or
rather cell, at the top OF the house,
and separated from all the other APP
partments by a gallery and stair
case, kept my workshop of filthy
creation my eyeballs We're starting
from their sockets in attending to
the details of my employment. The
dissecting-room and the slaughter
house furnished many of my mater
ials +; and often did my human ma
ture turn with lOathing from my
occupation, while, still urged on by
an eagerness which perpetually in
creased, l brought my work near to
conclusion.
The summer months passed while
/ was thus engaged, heart and soul,
i'm one pursuit. 1t was a most beau
tiful season never did the fields be-
stow h more plentiful harvest, or
the vines yield a more luxuriant
vintage; but my eyes were insensi-
bile to the charms of nature. And
the same feelings which made me
neglect the scenes around me caus-
ed me also to forget those friends
who were so many miles absent,
and whom / had not seen for sc
long a time. / knew my silence
disquieted them I; and L well re-