Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 41 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis This is a running prose page (page 23) of poetry, not a title page or illustration. The text describes a magical banquet scene where unseen hands serve enchanted food and music, followed by evening when a character named Psyche enters a luxurious bedchamber lit by alabaster lamps. The passage culminates in growing darkness and mystery as lamps extinguish and Psyche hears mysterious rustling sounds, suggesting an approaching supernatural or unknown presence. The ornate, romantic language and references to classical mythology (Psyche, Persia's monarch) indicate this is likely from a sensational narrative poem rather than straightforward penny dreadful prose fiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| : 23 Now through the hall melodious music stole, And self-prepared the splendid banquet stands, Self-poured the nectar sparkles in the bowl, The lute and viol touched by unseen hands Aid the soft voices of the choral bands; O’er the full board a brighter lustre beams Than Persia’s monarch at his feast commands: For sweet refreshment all inviting seems _ To taste celestial food, and pure ambrosial streams. But when meek Eve hung out her dewy star, And gently veiled with gradual hand the sky, Lo! the bright folding doors retiring far, et \ Display to Psyche’s captivating eye Ali that voluptuous ease could e’er supply To sooth the spirits in serene repose: Beneath the velvet’s purple canopy Divinely formed a downy couch arose, While alabaster lamps a milky light disclose. - Once more she hears the hymeneal strain ; Far other voices now attune the lay ; The swelling sounds approach, awhile remain, And then retiring faint dissolved away : The expiring lamps emit a feebler ray, And soon in fragrant death extinguished lie : -Then virgin terrors Psyche’s soul dismay, When through the obscuring gloom she nought can spy, But softly rustlisg sounds declare some Being nigh. Cconnicloooks.comn)