Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 222 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 222: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a poetry page (page 202) from what appears to be a collected or serialized work. The poem, titled "Written at West-Aston" and dated June 1808, is sentimental Victorian verse recalling a woman who planted a myrtle tree on the narrator's birthday as a gesture of love. The speaker reflects on her gentle character, her devotion to a beloved brother, and her unfulfilled hopes of walking through the grounds with him, lamenting that "sweet affection thus designs in vain" when her plans fail to materialize.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
202 WRITTEN AT WEST-ASTON. June, 1808. | ‘Yes, I remember the dear suffering saint, Whose hand, with fond, commemorative care, Planted that myrtle on my natal day, ; It was a day of joy to him she loved — ‘ Best upon earth ;—and still her gentle heart, That never felt one passion’s eager throb, Nor aught but quiet joys, and patient woes, Was prompt to sympathize with all; and most With that beloved brother.—She had hoped Perchance, that, fondly on his arm reclined In placid happiness, her feeble step Might here have wandered through these friendly shades, This hospitable seat of kindred worth: And that the plant, thus reared, in future years — Might win His smile benignant, when her hand Should point where, in its bower of loveliness, ~ Bright spreading to the sun its fragrant leaf, His Mary’s myrtle bloomed.—Ah me! ‘tis sad When sweet affection thus designs in vain, And sees the fragile web it smiling spun RT ae ‘ ' COMGE OO <SaCOlm