My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement
This significant emendation enlarges the connotations of the
"ardour" expressed not just by Victor at the beginning of Chapter II of the 1831 edition, but by
Walton and the Creature as well. Victor here exonerates himself of
any evil consequences from this trait before we have sufficient information
to corroborate his view or, alternatively, to question how well his
potentiality for violence has been displaced into other pursuits. As
he speaks, after all, he is still on a mission whose sole purpose is
the destruction of the Creature whom he brought to life and who has
known from him only rejection or rage. Walton, at this point, has solely
Victor's word for his guiltlessness.
