Франкенштейн

           Irememberedtheeffectthattheviewofthetremendousandever-movingglacierhadproduceduponmymindwhenIfirstsawit.Ithadthenfilledmewithasublimeecstasythatgavewingstothesoulandallowedittosoarfromtheobscureworldtolightandjoy.Thesightoftheawfulandmajesticinnaturehadindeedalwaystheeffectofsolemnizingmymindandcausingmetoforgetthepassingcaresoflife.Ideterminedtogowithoutaguide,forIwaswellacquaintedwiththepath,andthepresenceofanotherwoulddestroythesolitarygrandeurofthescene.

           Theascentisprecipitous,butthepathiscutintocontinualandshortwindings,whichenableyoutosurmounttheperpendicularityofthemountain.Itisasceneterrificallydesolate.Inathousandspotsthetracesofthewinteravalanchemaybeperceived,wheretreesliebrokenandstrewedontheground,someentirelydestroyed,othersbent,leaninguponthejuttingrocksofthemountainortransverselyuponothertrees.Thepath,asyouascendhigher,isintersectedbyravinesofsnow,downwhichstonescontinuallyrollfromabove;oneofthemisparticularlydangerous,astheslightestsound,suchasevenspeakinginaloudvoice,producesaconcussionofairsufficienttodrawdestructionupontheheadofthespeaker.Thepinesarenottallorluxuriant,buttheyaresombreandaddanairofseveritytothescene.Ilookedonthevalleybeneath;vastmistswererisingfromtheriverswhichranthroughitandcurlinginthickwreathsaroundtheoppositemountains,whosesummitswerehidintheuniformclouds,whilerainpouredfromthedarkskyandaddedtothemelancholyimpressionIreceivedfromtheobjectsaroundme.Alas!Whydoesmanboastofsensibilitiessuperiortothoseapparentinthebrute;itonlyrendersthemmorenecessarybeings.Ifourimpulseswereconfinedtohunger,thirst,anddesire,wemightbenearlyfree;butnowwearemovedbyeverywindthatblowsandachancewordorscenethatthatwordmayconveytous.