Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 24 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 6 of a Victorian Penny Dreadful This is a text page containing verse—specifically, a lengthy poetic passage numbered "6." The poem addresses themes of emotional suffering and romantic devotion, appealing to a "sweet sprite" (apparently Cupid) for protection from inconstancy and false love. The speaker requests the power to ease others' sorrows and asks for constancy in devotion to a single beloved, invoking Psyche. The verse employs formal rhyming couplets and elevated diction typical of sentimental Victorian poetry. No illustration or advertisement is visible; this appears to be running narrative or lyrical content from the serialized work.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
6 Most sweet would to my soul the hope appear, * That sorrow in my verse a charm might find, To smooth the brow long bent with bitter cheer, Some short distraction to the joyless mind Which grief, with heavy chain, hath fast confined To sad remembrance of its happier state ; , For to myself I ask no boon more kind Than power another’s woes to mitigate, And that soft soothing art which anguish can abate. And thou, sweet sprite, whose sway doth far extend, Smile on the mean historian of thy fame! My heart in each distress and fear befriend, Nor ever let it feel a fiercer flame ™ Than innocence may cherish free from blame, And hope may nurse, and sympathy may own; For, as thy rights I never would disclaim, But true allegiance offered to thy throne, So may I love but one, by one beloved alone. That anxious torture may I never feel, | Which, doubtful, watches o’er a wandering heart. Oh! who that bitter torment can reveal, Or tell the pining anguish of that smart! In those affections may I ne’er have part, Which easily transferred can learn to rove : No, dearest Cupid ! when I feel thy dart, For thy sweet Psyche’s sake may no false love Phe tenderness I prize lightly from me remove ry Comichbooks;com