Франкенштейн
Chapter 2
Hewasdeeplyreadinbooksofchivalryandromance.Hecomposedheroicsongsandbegantowritemanyataleofenchantmentandknightlyadventure.Hetriedtomakeusactplaysandtoenterintomasquerades,inwhichthecharactersweredrawnfromtheheroesofRoncesvalles,oftheRoundTableofKingArthur,andthechivalroustrainwhoshedtheirbloodtoredeemtheholysepulchrefromthehandsoftheinfidels.
Nohumanbeingcouldhavepassedahappierchildhoodthanmyself.Myparentswerepossessedbytheveryspiritofkindnessandindulgence.Wefeltthattheywerenotthetyrantstoruleourlotaccordingtotheircaprice,buttheagentsandcreatorsofallthemanydelightswhichweenjoyed.WhenImingledwithotherfamiliesIdistinctlydiscernedhowpeculiarlyfortunatemylotwas,andgratitudeassistedthedevelopmentoffiliallove.
Mytemperwassometimesviolent,andmypassionsvehement;butbysomelawinmytemperaturetheywereturnednottowardschildishpursuitsbuttoaneagerdesiretolearn,andnottolearnallthingsindiscriminately.Iconfessthatneitherthestructureoflanguages,northecodeofgovernments,northepoliticsofvariousstatespossessedattractionsforme.ItwasthesecretsofheavenandearththatIdesiredtolearn;andwhetheritwastheoutwardsubstanceofthingsortheinnerspiritofnatureandthemysterioussoulofmanthatoccupiedme,stillmyinquiriesweredirectedtothemetaphysical,orinithighestsense,thephysicalsecretsoftheworld.
MeanwhileClervaloccupiedhimself,sotospeak,withthemoralrelationsofthings.Thebusystageoflife,thevirtuesofheroes,andtheactionsofmenwerehistheme;andhishopeandhisdreamwastobecomeoneamongthosewhosenamesarerecordedinstoryasthegallantandadventurousbenefactorsofourspecies.
