Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-04


to I'm Literature md mt Times Quot
ed Incorrectly.
Ev -rybody. or nearly everybody, has
heard of the novel Of "Frankenstein,"
though it is not probable that many
persons read it nowadays. There are
SO many illusions to il in our litera-
tUrc. however. that one absOrbs some
sort of notion of il 50 that he can
not help knowing that it il a weird and
CHASTITY story about a monster, but
whether or not Frankcnstein is the
monster even well informed people do
not always know. showing that they
never read the story.
Sometimes we hear illusions to
"Frankcnstein's monster" as in one of
Charles Summers OratiOns. where he
speaks of the ''sOulless monster of
Frankenstein. the wretched creation
of mortal science without God" and
sometimes the reference is to Frank
ensteiu only. as If he were the mon
ster OF course Sumner, who was
very particular in his use OF figures of
speech. was right When Mrs. Deland,
In her fine novel of Sidney" makes
Major Lee say that christianity is a
Frankenstein," she suffers the major
to talk nonsense.
The story of this weird novel and the
circumstances under which it came to
be written are decidedly interesting
and may be told in a few words. The
facts are as follows:
In 1916 Mary Goodwin, afterward
Mrs. Shelley, eloped with Shelley, and
they took ZIP their residence near Ge-
neva. in Switzerland. They had Lord
Byron for Il neighbor. and the three
passed much time together. Their con-
versation frequently ran on the occult
and the mysterious. and Byron one day
proposed that each should write a
ghost story. All agreed and went to
work. but il was not long before the
two poets gave it up as a hopeless
task. They could write poetry, but
they could not write stories.
Mary persevered and completed her
tale i'm the spring OF 1877. When By
ron and Shelley heard it read, they
were surprised and delighted. 1t was
bound to be the novel of the century,
The name of il was "Frankenstein; or,
The Modern Prometheus.' 1t was i'm
mediately sent to London for publica-
ton and met with great success.
Frankenstein is Swiss youth. a
student at the University of Ingol-
stadt. deeply interested in the study Of
chemistry and natural philosophy He
resolves to penetrate the mysteries of
life and death and wrest from nature
the secret Of creation. After prolOng-
ed study he succeeds and discovers
how to impart movement and anima-
ton to lifeless matter.
He then resolves to mold n colossal
man. making him beautiful in form
and feature and Undue him with life.
He carries on his work in n studio far
from the habitations of man. labors
long and secretly. and at last the work
is completed. There in the great room
lies the form and semblance of a hui
man being. perfect in all his proper
lions. Frankenstein relates the story:
'It was on Il dready night in Novem-
Der that | behcld the ACCOMPLISHMENT
of my tolls. With an anxiety that al
most amounted to agony | collected
the Instruments OF life around me that
/ might infuse a spark of being into
the lifeless thing that lay ut my feet
''It was already / o'clock in the
morning. The rain battered dismally
against the window panes. and my
candle was nearly burned out. when.
by the glimmer OF the half extinguish-
eu IEul. i SdW lue uulI NellOW eye Oh
the creature open. Ii breathed hard.
and n convulsive motion agitated its
limbs"
Slowly the immense creature arose, |
and the artist, frightened at his own
work. fled away. Then he returns to !
find his creation possessed OF life and |
every attribute OF humanity except a |
soul Nowhere can IL find human SYM |
patty. Ii is out OF harmony with all |
things about IL, and after searching |
the world i'm pursuit of happiness IL |
returns again To Frankenstein and de- |
mands that he make n companion with |
whom ii can live in sympathy and |
love
Frankcnstein declines. and thence /
forth the monster pursues him with |
hatred and revenge. IL Stays his broth
ers and sister. his friend and his bride. 4
Ii follows him to Russia. to Siberia /
and into the Arctic ocean. and there
creature AMI artist perish together. 1t
Is most uncanny story TO read o.
nights.
Sir Walter Scott reviewed the novel
in The Quarterly. but while admitting
lis power confessed he did not like il.
"Our taste and our Judgment revolt at
this kind Of writing" All the critics
n greed as TO its daring originality
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