Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 112 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 112: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 94: Running Prose (Verse) This is a page of narrative poetry from what appears to be a Gothic romance or supernatural tale. The text describes a virtuous character named Psyche who is abandoned and falls victim to a sorcerer called Geloso, who transforms into a serpent to drain her life force. However, her knight rescues her by calling out through the cave; the serpent releases her and, terrified, shrinks into a spider, its web trapping the "vile" sorcerer himself. The passage employs dramatic, melodramatic language typical of penny dreadful sensationalism, emphasizing supernatural horror, peril, and last-minute heroic salvation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
94: For there are hearts that, like some sheltered lake, Ne’er swell with rage, nor foam with violence; Though its sweet placid calm the tempests shake, Yet will it ne’er with furious impotence Dash its rude waves against the rocky fence, Which nature placed the limits of its reign: 1 Thrice blest! who feel the peace which flows from hence, Whom meek-eyed gentleness can thus restrain ; Whate’er the storms of fate, with her let none complain! | That mild associate Psyche now deserts, Unlovely passions agitate her soul, The vile magician all his art exerts, And triumphs to behold his proud control : Changed to a serpent’s hideous form, he stole O’er her fair breast to suck her vital blood; His poisonous involutions round her roll ;: Already is his forked tongue imbrued Warm in the stream of life, her heart’s pure purple fload. ‘Thus wretchedly she falls Geloso’s prey! But her, once more, unhoped for aid shall save! Admitted shines the clear blue light of day Upon the horrors of that gloomy grave ; Iter knight’s soft voice resounds through all the cave, ‘The affrighted serpent quits his deadly hold, Nor dares the vengeance of his arm to brave, Shrunk to a spider’s form, while many a fold. Or self-spun web obscene the sorcerer vile enrolled. — ‘ COnMCE DOO KS.eOrnal |