Франкенштейн

           Ihadoften,whenathome,thoughtithardtoremainduringmyyouthcoopedupinoneplaceandhadlongedtoentertheworldandtakemystationamongotherhumanbeings.Nowmydesireswerecompliedwith,anditwould,indeed,havebeenfollytorepent.

           IhadsufficientleisurefortheseandmanyotherreflectionsduringmyjourneytoIngolstadt,whichwaslongandfatiguing.Atlengththehighwhitesteepleofthetownmetmyeyes.IalightedandwasconductedtomysolitaryapartmenttospendtheeveningasIpleased.

           ThenextmorningIdeliveredmylettersofintroductionandpaidavisittosomeoftheprincipalprofessors.Chance—orrathertheevilinfluence,theAngelofDestruction,whichassertedomnipotentswayovermefromthemomentIturnedmyreluctantstepsfrommyfather’sdoor—ledmefirsttoM.Krempe,professorofnaturalphilosophy.Hewasanuncouthman,butdeeplyimbuedinthesecretsofhisscience.Heaskedmeseveralquestionsconcerningmyprogressinthedifferentbranchesofscienceappertainingtonaturalphilosophy.Irepliedcarelessly,andpartlyincontempt,mentionedthenamesofmyalchemistsastheprincipalauthorsIhadstudied.Theprofessorstared."Haveyou,"hesaid,"reallyspentyourtimeinstudyingsuchnonsense?"

           Irepliedintheaffirmative."Everyminute,"continuedM.Krempewithwarmth,"everyinstantthatyouhavewastedonthosebooksisutterlyandentirelylost.Youhaveburdenedyourmemorywithexplodedsystemsanduselessnames.GoodGod!Inwhatdesertlandhaveyoulived,wherenoonewaskindenoughtoinformyouthatthesefancieswhichyouhavesogreedilyimbibedareathousandyearsoldandasmustyastheyareancient?Ilittleexpected,inthisenlightenedandscientificage,tofindadiscipleofAlbertusMagnusandParacelsus.Mydearsir,youmustbeginyourstudiesentirelyanew."