Praed's idle discussion of recent novels includes a brief mention of Frankenstein, which he found "alarming."

"There is, perhaps, no subject of more universal interest in the whole range of natural knowledge, than that of the unceasing fluctuations which take place in the atmosphere in which we are immersed."
                                                                                                                                  —British Almanack.

At Cheltenham, where one drinks one's fill
   Of folly and cold water,
I danced last year my first quadrille
   With old Sir Geoffrey's daughter.
Her cheek with summer's rose might vie,
   When summer's rose is newest;
Her eyes were blue as autumn's sky,
   When autumn's sky is bluest;
And well my heart might deem her one
   Of life's most precious flowers,
For half her thoughts were of its sun,
   And half were of its showers.

I spoke of Novels:—"Vivian Grey"
   Was positively charming,
And "Almacks" infinitely gay,
   And "Frankenstein" alarming;
I said "De Vere" was chastely told,
   Thought well of "Herbert Lacy,"
Called Mr. Banim's sketches "bold,"
   And Lady Morgan's "racy;"
I vowed that last new thing of Hook's
   Was vastly entertaining:
And Laura said—"I doat on books,
   Because it's always raining!"