Note: The holding institution retains all copy rights for the individual images.
Metamorphosis, or, A transformation of pictures: with poetical explanations for the amusement of young persons.
Philadelphia, PA, Benjamin Sands, 1814.
Owing institution: Penn State University
Click Here to “Play” with This Item in the Virtual Movable Book App
| Panel 1, Upper Flap (Exterior): 1. Adam comes first upon the stage, And Eve from out his side, Who was given him in marriage; Turn up and see his bride. |
Panel 2, Upper Flap (Exterior): 4. A Lion rousing from his den On purpose for to range, Is soon turn’d into another shape; Lift up and see how strange. |
Panel 3, Upper Flap (Exterior): 7. Now I’ve escap’d the eagle’s claws And am from danger free, I’ll set my heart to gather gold; Turn down the leaf and see. |
Panel 4, Upper Flap (Exterior): 10. Now I’ve got gold and silver store, Bribes from the rich, pawns from the poor, What earthly cares can trouble me? Turn down the leaf and then you’ll see. |
—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—
| Panel 1, Upper Flap (Interior): 13. Adam and Eve in innocence, God was their glory and defence : Had they continued in that state, Their happiness had been complete. Angels, behold the happy pair, Who did your Maker’s image wear, While in obedience they remain’d And their innocence maintained. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Here Eve in shape you may behold, One body showeth two; Once more do but the leaf downfold, And it’s as strange to view. |
Panel 2, Upper Flap (Interior): 14. In happy Eden see them plac’d, Who stood or fell for all our race; In a sweet bower, composed of love, This happy pair might safely rove. There was no curse upon that ground, Nor changing grief there to be found: There nothing could their joys controul [sic], Nor mar the pleasures of the soul. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. A Griffin here you may behold, As fabled said to be; Once more do but the leaf downfold, A stranger sight you’ll see. |
Panel 3, Upper Flap (Interior): 15. This land they freely might possess, And live in joy and happiness: Adam was lord of all the land, Made by the great all-forming hand. Eat, said the Lord, of all you see, Except one interdicted tree; And on this truth you may rely, You may not eat that lest you die. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9. A purse with gold and silver store Has cur’d my heart, I’m sick no more; And am from cares and dangers free; What is there now can trouble me? |
Panel 4, Upper Flap (Interior): Had they obey’d their Maker’s voice, And made eternal bliss their choice, Then everlasting life had been The lot of all the sons of men. But Satan came now in disguise, To blind this happy couple’s eyes: Saying, this fruit now eat, and you Like God, shall good and evil know. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12. O Man! Now see thou art but dust; They gold and silver is but rust; Thy time is come, thy glass is spent; What is there that can Death prevent. |
| Panel 1, Lower Flap (Interior): 3. Eyes look not on the mermaid’s face, And ears hear not her song : Her features have an alluring grace, More charming than her tongue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 17. Eve then the fatal fruit did take, And gave her husband who did eat : Thus Adam fell to his disgrace, From his native righteousness. Now every thought that roves abroad, Is known to a sin-hating God : His perfect law he will maintain, Ah! he’ll reward the fall of man. |
Panel 2, Lower Flap (Interior): 6. Behold within the Eagle’s claws, An infant there doth lie! Which he has taken as a prey And is prepar’d to fly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 18. The Tree of Life, now in that land, And knowledge, do well guarded stand, Lest Adam should the same espy, And eat thereof and never die, There Cherubs with a flaming sword, Are set the Tree of Life to guard : Now who among our fallen race, Can hope to see his Maker’s face? |
Panel 3, Lower Flap (Interior): 8. A Heart here is oppress’d with care, What salve can cure the same? Under the leaf you’ll find a cure: Lift up and see how plain. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 19. Or who before his awful bar In his own righteousness appear? The sons of Adam, since the fall, To death are subject one and all. But to the serpent it is said, The Woman’s seed shall bruise thy head; Though Adam hearken’d to his bride, Who pluck’d the fruit which was deny’d. |
Panel 4, Lower Flap (Interior): 11. Sickness is come and Death draws nigh, Help gold and silver, ere I die; It will not do, for it’s but dross, Turn up and see man’s end at last. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 20. Now Christ is come to set us free From everlasting misery: All the angelic host above, will shout the greatness of his love. There is a brighter world in view, Than Adam in old Salem knew; Proposed by the eternal God, And purchas’d by our Savior’s blood. |
—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—♦—
| Panel 4, Verso: 21. Death! why so fast? pray stop thy hand, And let my glass run out its sand: As neither Time nor Death will stay, Let us improve the present day. Short is the space allow’d to man, Its length is fitly measur’d by a span; When life begins, we then begin to die; A few years labour’d, in the grave we lie: Yet on this space how short soe’er depends A long eternity, that never ends. How little of our little time is spent In pleasing God, for which that time was lent. |
Panel 3, Verso: The we may not mislead our lit- tle readers, it is desired they would understand the Mermaid and Grif- fin to be only creatures of fable, that never did exist. And although Death is represented in the form of a hu- man skeleton, yet this is only an [?] but a state. |
Panel 2, Verso: [Image of a Ship] |
Panel 1, Verso: METAMORPHOSIS ; OR, A Transformation of Pictures, with POETICAL EXPLANATIONS, for the AMUSEMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS. [fountain image] Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by Joseph Rakestraw No. 256, North Third Street 1814 |
