Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 111 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 111: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis This is a page of running verse poetry (page 93) from a Victorian penny dreadful. The text depicts a dramatic romantic scene in which a woman witnesses her beloved knight—apparently her "own adored Love"—in an intimate embrace with another lady. The verse describes her internal torment as she watches them exchange passionate glances and sighs, unable to look away despite her anguish. The passage concludes by reflecting on how her natural meekness and gentle heart, which have previously softened her sorrows, may help her endure this "bitter bale" and the "fierce agony" of witnessing this betrayal.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
f 95 But oh what words her feelings can impart ! Feelings to hateful envy near allied ! While on her knight her anxious glances dart: His plumed helmet, lo! he lays aside ; His face with torturing agony she spied, Yet cannot from the sight her eyes remove ; No mortal knight she sees had aid supplied, No mortal knight in her defence had strove ; ’T was Love! ’twas Love himself, her own adored Love. _- Poured in soft dalliance at a lady’s feet, In fondest rapture he appeared to lie, While her fair neck with inclination sweet Bent o’er his graceful form her melting eye, Which his looked up to meet in ecstacy. Their words she heard not; words had ne’er exprest, What well her sickening fancy could supply, All that their silent eloquence confest, | As breathed the sigh of fire from each impassioned breast. While thus she gazed, her quivering lips turn pale ; Contending passions rage within her breast, Nor ever had she Known such bitter bale, Or felt by such fierce agony opprest. Oft had her gentle heart been sore distrest, But meekness ever has a lenient power A lay From anguish half his keenest darts to wrest; Meekness for her had softened sorrow’s hour, Those furious fiends subdued which boisterous souls deyour, : Conniclooolkks.comn)