What lesson is Mary Shelly trying to relate through Henry Clerval?

"Meanwhile Clerval occupied himself, so to speak, with the moral relations of things. The busy stage of life, the virtues of heroes, and the actions of men were his theme; and his hope and his dream was to become one among those whose names are recorded in story as the gallant and adventurous benefactors of our species."

Henry strove to understand "moral relations." If you read through the text in context, you can infer that Shelley's lesson through his character is one of basic morality....... of being a good and honorable person.