Франкенштейн
Chapter 6
Clervalhadneversympathizedinmytastesfornaturalscience;andhisliterarypursuitsdifferedwhollyfromthosewhichhadoccupiedme.Hecametotheuniversitywiththedesignofmakinghimselfcompletemasteroftheorientallanguages,andthusheshouldopenafieldfortheplanoflifehehadmarkedoutforhimself.Resolvedtopursuenoingloriouscareer,heturnedhiseyestowardtheEast,asaffordingscopeforhisspiritofenterprise.ThePersian,Arabic,andSanscritlanguagesengagedhisattention,andIwaseasilyinducedtoenteronthesamestudies.Idlenesshadeverbeenirksometome,andnowthatIwishedtoflyfromreflection,andhatedmyformerstudies,Ifeltgreatreliefinbeingthefellow-pupilwithmyfriend,andfoundnotonlyinstructionbutconsolationintheworksoftheorientalists.Ididnot,likehim,attemptacriticalknowledgeoftheirdialects,forIdidnotcontemplatemakinganyotheruseofthemthantemporaryamusement.Ireadmerelytounderstandtheirmeaning,andtheywellrepaidmylabours.Theirmelancholyissoothing,andtheirjoyelevating,toadegreeIneverexperiencedinstudyingtheauthorsofanyothercountry.Whenyoureadtheirwritings,lifeappearstoconsistinawarmsunandagardenofroses—inthesmilesandfrownsofafairenemy,andthefirethatconsumesyourownheart.HowdifferentfromthemanlyandheroicalpoetryofGreeceandRome!
Summerpassedawayintheseoccupations,andmyreturntoGenevawasfixedforthelatterendofautumn;butbeingdelayedbyseveralaccidents,winterandsnowarrived,theroadsweredeemedimpassable,andmyjourneywasretardeduntiltheensuingspring.Ifeltthisdelayverybitterly;forIlongedtoseemynativetownandmybelovedfriends.Myreturnhadonlybeendelayedsolong,fromanunwillingnesstoleaveClervalinastrangeplace,beforehehadbecomeacquaintedwithanyofitsinhabitants.
