Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-06-30
Man WITHOUT A SOUL
The Uncanny Creation Of Mary
Goodwin Shelley.
MONSTER OF FRANKENsTElN.

The Interesting History Of an Earlier
Day Novel That Is Frequently Al
luded to In Literature and at Times
Quoted Incorrectly.
Every body. 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 70 it In our litera-
ture. however, that one absofbs 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 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 Frankenstein" she
suffers the major to talk nonsense
The story of this weird novel and the
circumstances under which 1t 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 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 1t up as hopeless
task. They could write poetry, but
they could not write stories.
Mary persevered and completed her
tale in the spring of 1871 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 Prometheus" 1t was Inn
mediately sent to London for publica-
ton and met with great success.
Ls,.,x. IL at. l..
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 ANNA
ton to lifeless 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
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 hui
man being, perfect in all his proper
lions. Frankenstein relates the story:
1T was on a dreary night in Novem-
Der that beheld 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 at my feet.
1T was already l O'Clock in the
morning. The rain battered dismaily
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.
and the artist, frightened at his own
work, fed 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
things about it, and after searching
the world in pursuit of happiness it
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
forth the monster pursues him with
hatred and revenge 1t Stays his broth
ers and sister, his friend and his bride.
1t follows him to Russia, to Siberia
and into the Arctic ocean, and there
creature and artist perish together. 1t
is a most uncanny story to read o.
nights.
Sir Walter Scott reviewed the novel
in the Quarterly, but, while admitting
its power, confessed he did not like It.
Our taste and our judgment revolt at
this kind of writing All the critics
agreed as to its daring originality
Exchange.