Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 117 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 117: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from page 91 of what appears to be a Victorian literary work titled "Salámán and Absál." The text describes a narrative involving THE SHAH observing his son Salámán lost to desire for a woman, leading the Shah to use magical power against this "rebellious lust." Despite magical intervention, Salámán cannot reach his beloved; the passage concludes with him in anguish until "the door of Mercy open'd" and he perceives his Father's arm reaching to lift him from "the pit in which he lay." The content appears to be allegorical or mystical in nature rather than typical penny dreadful sensationalism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
O76 SALAMAN AND ABSAL. 91 g Bur as the days went on, and still THe Suan Beheld his Son how in the Woman lost, And still the Crown that should adorn his head, And still the Throne that waited for his foot, Both trampled under by a base desire, Of which the Soul was still unsatisfied— Then from the sorrow of THE SxHau fell Fire ; To Gracelessness ungracious he became, And, quite to shatter that rebellious lust, Upon Saim&y all his Wit, with all! His Sace-Vizyr’s Might-magic arm’d, discharged. And Lo! SatAm&n to his Mistress turn’d, But could not reach her—look’d and look’d again, And palpitated tow’rd her—but in vain ! Oh Misery! As to the Bankrupt’s eyes The Gold he may not finger! or the Well To him who sees a-thirst, and cannot reach. Or Heav’n above reveal’d to those in Hell ! Yet when SaLAmAn’s anguish was extreme, The door of Mercy open’d, and he saw That Arm he knew to be his Father’s reacht To lift him from the pit in which he lay : Timidly tow’rd his Father’s eyes his own na He Mesmerizes him !—See also further on this Power of the t ILL. cores COMmiICcooOoks.conn