Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 93 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 93: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running verse poetry (numbered 75) from what appears to be a narrative poem. The text describes a knight engaged in combat with a whale in the ocean, followed by his victory and the rejoicing of a woman named Psyche. The passage employs rhyming couplets and elaborate poetic language typical of Victorian verse romance, recounting the knight's struggle through foaming tides, the whale's violent resistance, and his ultimate triumph, after which he claims a starred helm as trophy to present to a woman named Constance while Psyche watches with tears of gratitude.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a » 49 Stung with the shame of the relinquished prey, “Mad with revenge, and hate, and conscious pride, The knight, recovered from his short dismay, Dashes resistless through the foaming tide; The billows yielding to his arm divide, As rushing on the youth he seeks the shore ; * But now a combat strange on either side Amid the waves begins ; each hopes no more The engulphing deep his foe’ shall e’er to light restore. Beside the cold inhospitable lands Where suns long absent dawn with lustre pale, Thus on his bark the bold Biscayen stands, And bids his javelin rouse the parent whale: Fear, pain, and rage at once her breast assail, The agitated ocean foams around Lashed by the sounding fury of her tail, Or as she mounts the surge with frightful bound, Wide echoing to her cries the bellowing shores resound. Fierce was the contest, but at length subdued, The youth exulting sees his giant foe. With wonder still the enormous limbs he viewed Which lifeless now the waves supporting show ; His starred helm, that now was first-laid low, He seized as trophy of the wonderous fight, And bade the sparkling gem on Constance glow, While Psyche’s eyes, soft beaming with delight, Through tears of grateful praise applaud her eullant knight. | ; H Conniclooolks.Comn)