Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 49 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 49: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be a Victorian adaptation or interpretation of Omar Khayyam's *Rubaiyat*. The page contains four numbered quatrains (LXXXVII-XC) in which personified pottery vessels engage in philosophical dialogue about existence, divine judgment, and earthly pleasures. The verses employ the extended metaphor of pots and potters to discuss fate and indulgence, with vessels debating whether a maker threatens damnation and ultimately calling for wine and merriment. The tone is whimsical and irreverent, treating serious theological questions through witty, colloquial language.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OMAR KHAYYAM. LXXXVII. Whereat some one of the loquacious Lot— I think a Sufi pipkin—waxing hot— ‘‘ All this of Pot and Potter—-Tell me then, ‘Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?” LXXXVIII. ‘““ Why,” said another, ‘“‘ Some there are who tell ‘‘ Of one who threatens he will toss to Hell ‘The luckless Pots he marr’d in making—Pish ! ‘‘ He’s a Good Fellow, and ’t will all be well.”’ LXXXIX. ‘‘ Well,” murmur’d one, ‘‘ Let whoso make or buy, “ My Clay with long Oblivion is gone dry : * But fill me with the old familiar Juice, “ Methinks I might recover by and by.” XC. So while the Vessels one by one were speaking, The little Moon look’d in that all were seeking: Andthen they jogg’d each other, “ Brother! Brother ! ‘‘ Now for the Porter’s shoulder-knot a-creaking! ”’ COMmICooOokS.€