The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-07-20


Day Novel That Is Frequently Al.
Iuded to In Literature and at Times
Quoted Incorrectly.
Everybody, 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 20 it in our litera-
ture. however, that one absorbs some
sort of notion of it so that he cannot
help knowing that it is a weird and
CHASTITY story about a monster, but
whether or not Frankenstein is the
monster even well informed people do
not always know. showing that they
never read the story
Sometimes we hear illusions to
'Frankenstein's monster" as in one of
Charles Summers orations, where he
speaks of the "soulless monster of
Frankenstein. the wretchee creation of
mortal science without God" and some
times the reference is to Frankenstein
only. as if he were the monster. OF
course Sumner, who was very particu-
lar in his use of figures of speech. was
right. When Mrs. Deland in her 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 few words. The
facts are as follows:
In 1916 Mary Goodwin, afterward
Mrs. Shelley, eloped with Shelley, and
they took up their residence near Ge-
neva, in Switzerland They had Lord
Byron for a neighbor. and the three
passed much time together. Their con-
versation frequently ran on the occul.
and the mysterious, and Byron one day
proposed that each should write a
ghost story. All agreed and went to
work, but it was not long before the
task. They could write poetry, but
they could not write stories.
Mary persevered and completed her
tale in the spring of 1917. When By
ron and Shelley heard it read they
We're surprised and delighted. 1t was
bound to be the novel of the century.
The name of it was ''Frankenstein: or,
The Modern Prometheus." 1t was i'm
mediately sent to London for publica-
ton and met with great success.
F'rankenstein is a Swiss youth. a
student at the University of Ingol-
stadt, deeply interested in the sth1y Of
chemistry and natural philosophy. We
resolves to penetrate the mysteries d
life and death and wrest from nature
the secret of creation. After proldNg
ed study he succeeds and discoveh
how to impart movement and animal
ton to lfeless matter
He then resolves to mold colossal
man, making him beautiful in form
and feature and Undue him with life
He carries on his work in a studio far
IRON 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
tons. Frankenstein relates the story:
1T was on dreary night in NOvem-
Der that l beheld the accomplishment
of my tolls. With an anxiety that al
most amounted to agony l collected
the instruments of life around me that
l might infuse spark of being into
the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.
1T was already l 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-
ed light, saw the dull yellow eye Of
the creature open. 1t breathed hard,
and cOnvulSive motion agitated its
limbs"
Slowly the immense creature arose,
a. the artist, frightened at his own
work. fed away. Then he returns te
filid his creation possessed of life and
every attribute of humanity except a
soul. Nowhere can it find human SYM
pithy. 1t is out of harmony with all
things about it. and after searching
tile world in pursuit of happiness it
returns again to Frankenstein and de-
ntands that ne make a companion with
Whom it can live in sympathy and
1--we.
IFrankenStein declines, and thence
FIRTH the monster pursues him with
hhtred and revenge 1t Stays his broth
els and sister. his friend and his bride
II follows him to Russia, to Siberia
ahd into the Arctic ocean, and there
creature aud artist perish together II
is most uncanny story to read o
nights.
Sir Walter Scott reviewed the move
in the Quarterly, but. While admitting
its power, confessed he did not like it
Our taste and our judgment revolt Il,
this kind of writing" All the critics
agreed as to its daring originality
Exchange. se4ssamsss.s.,
I
Kids, bring inNeqr cans. Halher