I was surprised that among so many men of genius, who had directed their inquiries towards the same science, that I alone should be reserved to discover so astonishing a secret.
He knows that this would be frowned upon if others knew about this. It is this sense of forbidden knowledge that reminds me of Faustaus.
Darkness had no effect upon my fancy; and a church-yard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm.
Again, he views death as this thing as beauty and possibility, not the end of something. This is where things get dark in his studies towards the monster.
I became acquainted with the science of anatomy: but this was not sufficient; I must also observe the natural decay and corruption of the human body. In my education my father had taken the greatest precautions that my mind should be impressed with no supernatural horrors. I do not ever remember to have trembled at a tale of superstition, or to have feared the apparition of a spirit.
There seems to be this comfortability with death coming from him. Most people would shy away from death and studying it, but he seems to be eager to explore it. There is a question tht comes to mind as to why that is. It could be perhaps because of his mothers situation.
To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death.
I feel as though the topic of death and studying it would be taboo, but he does not seem to be worried about this aspect.
One of the phænonema which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame, and, indeed, any animal endued with life.
This is an important line that will later become relevant in comparing the monster to humans. It is a common theme of whether or not the monster is more human or more monster.
When I had arrived at this point, and had become as well acquainted with the theory and practice of natural philosophy as depended on the lessons of any of the professors at Ingolstadt, my residence there being no longer conducive to my improvements,
Here he is saying that he has become so proficient and well versed in all these subject matters at his university, they, as well as the school itself, are no longer something he needs to be successful because no one there can help him improve because he knows it all already.
improved so rapidly, that, at the end of two years, I made some discoveries in the improvement of some chemical instruments, which procured me great esteem and admiration at the university.
He is very young, only turning 17 at this time, and is extremely eager to be the best at where he is. He seems to be bragging a little bit here about how quickly he was able to become so proficient in the studies necessary to be the future inventor/scientist he plans to become.
A mind of moderate capacity, which closely pursues one study
This 'compliment' feels a little backhanded. He knows it takes great knowledge of a specific subject to pursue that study, but those who only study that one thing and don't explore outside of it are 'moderate minded.' He seems to have this superiority complex when it comes to those who discover/invent and those who just study what has been done.
but in a scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder.
He is putting himself in a group of people who want to discover the unknown and venture out into new things. He compares it to food, which is something he needs to be satisfied in life. He needs 'discovery and wonder'.
In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is nothing more to know;
He is critiquing those who are scared or 'moderate minded' for only going as far as those before them. He is removing himself from this group of scholars and scientists because he does not think it should be this way.
Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, i
He is promised to Geneva because it is his mother's dying wish. His mother is dying of Scarlet fever. Here is probably when he begins to 'grow up' and use invention and discovery as a coping mechanism.
In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is nothing more to know;
I find this part interesting because he is referring to other scientists and scholars as "mind of moderate capacity" which means they can't/won't go above and beyond to discover something new, but instead study what has already been discovered. He is excluding himself from this group of 'moderately minded' scholars.
I desire the company of a man who could sympathise[1] with me, whose eyes would reply to mine. You may deem me romantic,[2] my dear sister, but I bitterly feel the want of a friend. I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, possessed of a cultivated as well as of a capacious mind, whose tastes are like my own, to approve or amend my plans.
These are all just feelings of loneliness. Very normal feelings to have, in my opinion. I think everyone wants someone they can share time with. This person in particular wishes it was with someone in a more romantic sense.
I shall commit my thoughts to paper, it is true; but that is a poor medium for the communication of feeling.
I would have to disagree with this point here and it seems like a paradox. This person is communicating the way they feel through paper and is doing it well. I wonder why they thing that it is a 'poor medium for communication of feeling."
I have no friend, Margaret:
I found it interesting that Walton says they have have no friend, but yet they are still writing this letter to someone who, from an outsider's perspective, would seem like a friend. These thoughts and letter seem somewhat personal and something you would only tell a friend.