Франкенштейн
Walton, in continuation
FrommyinfancyIwasimbuedwithhighhopesandaloftyambition;buthowamIsunk!Oh!Myfriend,ifyouhadknownmeasIoncewas,youwouldnotrecognizemeinthisstateofdegradation.Despondencyrarelyvisitedmyheart;ahighdestinyseemedtobearmeon,untilIfell,never,neveragaintorise."MustIthenlosethisadmirablebeing?Ihavelongedforafriend;Ihavesoughtonewhowouldsympathizewithandloveme.Behold,onthesedesertseasIhavefoundsuchaone,butIfearIhavegainedhimonlytoknowhisvalueandlosehim.Iwouldreconcilehimtolife,butherepulsestheidea.
"Ithankyou,Walton,"hesaid,"foryourkindintentionstowardssomiserableawretch;butwhenyouspeakofnewtiesandfreshaffections,thinkyouthatanycanreplacethosewhoaregone?CananymanbetomeasClervalwas,oranywomananotherElizabeth?Evenwheretheaffectionsarenotstronglymovedbyanysuperiorexcellence,thecompanionsofourchildhoodalwayspossessacertainpoweroverourmindswhichhardlyanylaterfriendcanobtain.Theyknowourinfantinedispositions,which,howevertheymaybeafterwardsmodified,arenevereradicated;andtheycanjudgeofouractionswithmorecertainconclusionsastotheintegrityofourmotives.Asisterorabrothercannever,unlessindeedsuchsymptomshavebeenshownearly,suspecttheotheroffraudorfalsedealing,whenanotherfriend,howeverstronglyhemaybeattached,may,inspiteofhimself,becontemplatedwithsuspicion.
