Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-06-08
Man WITHOUT A SOUL
The Uncai7ny Creation of Mary
Goodwin Shelley.
MONSTER OF FRANKENSTElN.

The Interesting History of an Earlier
luded 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 to it in our litera-
ture, however, that one absorbs some
sort of notion of it so that he cannot
help knowing that it is 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 wretched 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 he told in a few words. The
| facts are as follows:
In 1S1G Mary Goodwin. afterward
| Mrs. Shelley, elopcd with Shelley, and
| they took up their residence near Ge-
reva, in Switzerland They had Lord
| Byron for Il neighbour ard the three
| passed much time together Their con-
| vcrSatiOn 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 it 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 pprSevPred and completed her
tale in the spring of 1917. 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 it WAS "Frankenstein; or.
The Modern PrOmctheuS." 1t was i'm
| mCdiatCly sent to London for publica-
ton and met with great success.
FrankenStein is 4 Swiss youth. a
student at the University OF Ingol-
stadt. deeply interested in the study of
chemistry and natural philosophy He
IL.
life and death and wrcst from nature
the secret of creation. After prOlOng-
ed study he succeeds and discovers
how to impart movement and ANNA
ton to lifelCSS matter
He then resolves to mold a colossal
man, making him beautiful in form
and feature and Undue him with life
lie carries on his work in a studio far
; from the hahtations of man. labors
long ana secretly, and at last the WORK
is completed. There in the great room
lies the form and Sembance of a h:l-
7 man being. perfect in all his proper
/ tons. FrankenStein relates the story:
1t WAS on Il dreary night in NOvem-
Der that ! bcheld the accomplishment
of my tolls With an anxiety that al
] most amounted TO agony | collected
} the instruments of life around me that
l might infuSe Il spark of being into
the lif2leSS thing that lay at my feet.
1 1T was already l o'clock in the
: morning. The rain battered dismally
S against the window panes and my
t candle was nearly burned out when
e by the glimmer of the half eXtinguish-
S ed light, saw the dull yellow eye of
o the creature open. 1t breathed hard
= and convulSive motion agitated its
K limbs
e Slowly the immense creature arose.
b and the artist, frightened at his own
S work. fled away. Then he returns to
find his creation possessed of life and
:, every attribute of humanity except a
: soul. Nowhere can it find human sym
: pathy. 1t is out of harmony with all
Y things about it, and after searching
d the world in pursuit of happiness il
n returns again to Frankenstein and de
! mands that he make a companion with
: whom it can live in sympathy and
|. love.
Frankenstein declines, and thence
q forth the monster pursues him with
hatred and revenge 1t Stays his broth
e erS and sister, his friend and his bride
n 1t follows him to Russia, to Siberia
e and into the Arctic ocean, and there
q creature and artist perish together 1t
IS most uncanny story to read O.
q nights.
: Sir Walter Scott reviewed the novel
= IN the Quarterly, but. while admitting
= ats power. confessed he did not like it.
: -Our taste and our judgment revolt at
e this kind of writing All the critics
, agreed as to its daring originality
: Exchange.