Франкенштейн
Chapter 4
butinascientificpursuitthereiscontinualfoodfordiscoveryandwonder.Amindofmoderatecapacitywhichcloselypursuesonestudymustinfalliblyarriveatgreatproficiencyinthatstudy;andI,whocontinuallysoughttheattainmentofoneobjectofpursuitandwassolelywrappedupinthis,improvedsorapidlythatattheendoftwoyearsImadesomediscoveriesintheimprovementofsomechemicalinstruments,whichprocuredmegreatesteemandadmirationattheuniversity.WhenIhadarrivedatthispointandhadbecomeaswellacquaintedwiththetheoryandpracticeofnaturalphilosophyasdependedonthelessonsofanyoftheprofessorsatIngolstadt,myresidencetherebeingnolongerconducivetomyimprovements,Ithoughtofreturningtomyfriendsandmynativetown,whenanincidenthappenedthatprotractedmystay.
Oneofthephenomenawhichhadpeculiarlyattractedmyattentionwasthestructureofthehumanframe,and,indeed,anyanimalenduedwithlife.Whence,Ioftenaskedmyself,didtheprincipleoflifeproceed?Itwasaboldquestion,andonewhichhaseverbeenconsideredasamystery;yetwithhowmanythingsareweuponthebrinkofbecomingacquainted,ifcowardiceorcarelessnessdidnotrestrainourinquiries.Irevolvedthesecircumstancesinmymindanddeterminedthenceforthtoapplymyselfmoreparticularlytothosebranchesofnaturalphilosophywhichrelatetophysiology.UnlessIhadbeenanimatedbyanalmostsupernaturalenthusiasm,myapplicationtothisstudywouldhavebeenirksomeandalmostintolerable.Toexaminethecausesoflife,wemustfirsthaverecoursetodeath.Ibecameacquaintedwiththescienceofanatomy,butthiswasnotsufficient;Imustalsoobservethenaturaldecayandcorruptionofthehumanbody.
