Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 124 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 124: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Victorian Penny Dreadful Page Analysis This is a page of running prose poetry (page 106) from what appears to be a serialized narrative. The text describes a scene at a festive gathering where a master pursues a suit while his page discovers a joyous friend named Hymen. The passage then shifts to depict a queen surrounded by timid virgins receiving a knight, with elaborate descriptions of her divine beauty compared to classical goddesses Diana and Minerva. The language emphasizes her ethereal appearance—her pale cheek, pure complexion, and the blush that occasionally crosses her face. The scene suggests romantic or courtly drama, though the specific plot context remains unclear from this page alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—— , ~ 406 a Mean time his faithful page hadgggbeen mute, — And he had found a ready warm For (while his master urged the eager suit) — As through the goodly train he cast his eye, He chanced exulting mid the group to spy - * A joyous youth, his fondly cherished friend ; Hymen, the festive, love-attending boy, Delighted his assistance hastes to lend, Laughing unbars the gates, and bids the parley end, Around their queen the timid virgins crowd, Who half consentingly receives the knight, And-checks her sportive boy, whose welcome loud Sp€aks his gay triumph and his proud delight : Yet graceful smiles her happy guests invite ‘lo share the feast with sacred honours blest ; The palace opens to their dazzled sight ; Still as they gazed, the adoring eye confest That wondering awe which filled each consecrated breast, All was divine, yet still the fairest queen Like Dian mid her circling nymphs appeared, ' Or as Minerva on Parnassus ‘Seen, When condescendingly with smiles she cheered The silent Muses who her presence feared: — A starry crown its heavenly radiance threw O’er her pale cheek; for there the rose rever ed T he purer lilies of her saint-like hue, Yet oft the mantling blush ite transient visits encady COMICDOOkS CORI