Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 51 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 51: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains running poetry text from what appears to be a translation or adaptation of Omar Khayyam's *Rubaiyat*. The four quatrains (XCIV-XCVII) deal with themes of repentance, wine's corrupting influence, the transience of youth and spring, and longing for spiritual or physical refuge. The ornamental borders and page number (25) indicate this is from the body of a bound or serialized work, likely presented as literary content rather than sensationalist penny dreadful material, though the attribution to "Omar Khayyam" suggests it may be a popular Victorian adaptation or translation included in such publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OMAR KHAYYAM. eee ee aaa, XCIV. Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before I swore—but was I sober when I swore ? And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore. XCY. And much as Wine has play’d the Infidel, And robb’d me of my Robe of Honour—Well, I wonder often what the Vintners buy One half so precious as the stuff they sell. XCVI. Yet Ah, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! That Youth’s sweet-scented manuscript should close ! The Nightingale that in the branches sang, Ah whence, and whither flown again, who knows! XCVII. Would but the Desert of the Fountain yield One glimpse—if dimly, yet indeed, reveal'’d, To which the fainting Traveller might spring, As springs the trampled herbage of the field ! COMmicooOoks.conn