Франкенштейн

           NowIamtwenty-eightandaminrealitymoreilliteratethanmanyschoolboysoffifteen. ItistruethatIhavethoughtmoreandthatmydaydreamsaremoreextendedandmagnificent,buttheywant(asthepainterscallit)"keeping"; andIgreatlyneedafriendwhowouldhavesenseenoughnottodespisemeasromantic,andaffectionenoughformetoendeavourtoregulatemymind. 

           Well,theseareuselesscomplaints; Ishallcertainlyfindnofriendonthewideocean,norevenhereinArchangel,amongmerchantsandseamen. Yetsomefeelings,unalliedtothedrossofhumannature,beatevenintheseruggedbosoms. Mylieutenant,forinstance,isamanofwonderfulcourageandenterprise; heismadlydesirousofglory,orrather,towordmyphrasemorecharacteristically,ofadvancementinhisprofession. HeisanEnglishman,andinthemidstofnationalandprofessionalprejudices,unsoftenedbycultivation,retainssomeofthenoblestendowmentsofhumanity. Ifirstbecameacquaintedwithhimonboardawhalevessel; findingthathewasunemployedinthiscity,Ieasilyengagedhimtoassistinmyenterprise. 

           Themasterisapersonofanexcellentdispositionandisremarkableintheshipforhisgentlenessandthemildnessofhisdiscipline. Thiscircumstance,addedtohiswell-knownintegrityanddauntlesscourage,mademeverydesiroustoengagehim. Ayouthpassedinsolitude,mybestyearsspentunderyourgentleandfemininefosterage,hassorefinedthegroundworkofmycharacterthatIcannotovercomeanintensedistastetotheusualbrutalityexercisedonboardship: Ihaveneverbelievedittobenecessary,andwhenIheardofamarinerequallynotedforhiskindlinessofheartandtherespectandobediencepaidtohimbyhiscrew,Ifeltmyselfpeculiarlyfortunateinbeingabletosecurehisservices.