Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 36 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a text page from what appears to be a Victorian edition of *The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam* (a translated Persian poem collection). The page contains four numbered quatrains (XXXVI-XXXIX) rendered in English verse. The speaker reflects on a clay vessel that once lived and drank, remembers watching a potter work, and ponders whether human beings share a similar story of being shaped from earth by a maker—arguing that even water we discard may somehow relieve hidden suffering far below. The decorative border and typography suggest this is from a mid-to-late Victorian illustrated edition.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
<te--—___—____________ s@p : 10 RUBAIYAT OF we XXXVI. ‘I think the Vessel, that with fugitive Articulation answer’d, once did live, And drink ; and Ah! the passive Lip I kiss’d, How many Kisses might it take—and give! XXXVII. For I remember stopping by the way To watch a Potter thumping his wet Clay : And with its all-obhterated Tongue It murmur’d— Gently, Brother, gently, pray !” XXXVIII. And has not such a Story from of Old Down Man’s successive generations roll’d Of sucha clod of saturated Harth Cast by the Maker into Human mould ? XXXIX. And not a drop that from our Cups we throw For Earth to drink of, but may steal below To quench the fire of Anguish in some Kye There hidden—far beneath, and long ago. (C(O) MIGDoOo <S 4(CO) mn