Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 102 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 102: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a text page from "Salámán and Absál," Part II, containing romantic poetry about forbidden love. The visible text describes lovers intoxicated by each other's kisses, with Heaven's intervention warning against their passion, followed by the beginning of a narrative poem about a poor Arab who enters the Khalifah's banquet chamber in Baghdad where Harún the Great sits at supper. The page is ornamentally framed with decorative flourishes and appears to be standard running prose rather than a title page or illustration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SALAMAN AND ABSAL. Part II. AuAs for those who having tasted once Of that forbidden vintage of the lips That, press’d and pressing, from each other draw The draught that so intoxicates them both, That, while upon the wings of Day and Night Time rustles on, and Moons do wax and wane, As from the very Well of Life they drink, And, drinking, fancy they shall never drain. But rolling Heaven from his ambush whispers, ‘‘ So in my license 1s it not set down: ‘* Ah for the sweet societies I make ‘¢ At Morning, and before the Nightfall break ‘¢ Ah for the bliss that coming Night fills up, ‘¢ And Morn looks in to find an empty Cup!” Once in Baghdad a poor Arab, After weary days of fasting, Into the Khalifah’s banquet- Chamber, where, aloft in State Harwn the Great at supper sate, Push’d and pushing, with the throng, ”] (C(O) il 0) Oy 0) <Si CO)