Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 55 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 55: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page 37 This page contains running verse text (numbered 37 at the top), appearing to be poetry rather than prose narrative. The passage depicts a dramatic scene involving a female character named Psyche who is experiencing anxiety and inner conflict. She conceals a lamp in secret while experiencing terror, struggles with some unspecified "treacherous counsel" involving a "murderous blade," and later—while her sleeping companion rests—cautiously seizes the lamp to unveil a mysterious "sacred veil." The poetic language and mythological reference to Psyche suggest this is a Victorian literary retelling of the classical myth, dramatized here with Gothic melodramatic elements characteristic of penny dreadful serialization.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
oF flumined bright now shines the splendid dome, Melodious accents her arrival hail: But not the torches’ blaze can chase the gloom, And all the soothing powers of music fail ; Trembling she seeks her couch with horror pale, But first a lamp conceals in secret shade, While unknown terrors all her soul assail. Thus half their treacherous counsel is obeyed, For still her gentle soul abhors the murderous blade. ‘ And now, with softest whispers of delight, Love welcomes Psyche still more fondly dear ; Not unobserved, though hid in deepest night, The silent anguish of her secret fear. He thinks that tenderness excites the tear By the late image of her parents’ grief, And half offended seeks in vain to cheer, Yet, while he speaks, her sorrows feel relief, : Too soon more keen to sting from this suspension brief! Allowed to settle on celestial eyes Soft Sleep exulting now exerts his sway, From Psyche’s anxious pillow gfadly flies To veil those orbs, whose pure and lambent ray The powers of heaven submissively obey. Trembling and breathless then she softly rose And seized the lamp, where it obscurely lay, With hand too rashly daring to disclose The sacred veil which hung mysterious o’er her woes. “ Connicloookks.Ccomnn