The Complete Poems

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The Complete Poems Page 84

by William Blake


  P1. 5.66-Pl. 6.2 Los’s SPECTRE(masculine) and EMANATION(feminine) divide from him. A ‘Spectre’ in B. is the purely male portion of a divided personality. It may be identified with mechanical ‘reasoning power’, with self-preservation instinct or with physical potency. In itself, it is pathological – caring only for survival at all costs – yet it is a powerful ally. In f Los forces his reluctant spectre to labour with him at the furnaces.

  P1. 7.2 He stood over the Immortal Los’s Spectre stood over Los. His following speech is an attempt to discourage Los-Blake’s creativity.

  11 He drinks thee up The Spectre charges that Albion exploits and scorns Los, who is dedicated to saving him (England does not appreciate B.’s art).

  14 thy stolen Emanation May refer to B.’s quarrel with Stothard over the ‘Canterbury Pilgrims’ (1806).

  18–25 Hand has peopled Babel… Schofield is Adam Albion’s cruel sons are the powers behind the patriarchs, from Adam, to the flood, to the first established monarchy. The biblical lineage goes as follows: Adam is seven generations from Enoch. Enoch is the great-grandfather of Noah. Noah’s sons are Shem, Ham and fapheth, his grandsons include Cush, Ashur and Aram. Nimrod is his great-grandson, and the first King. Babel and Ninevah were early post-deluvian cities.

  30–37 A re-telling of FZ 11.25.40–27.20, the sufferings of Passion in the fires of Nature.

  38–41 Luvah… Forming the Spectres of Albion The Spectre of Los, lost in paranoia by this time, mistakenly thinks the suffering Luvah is a foe. Hence Los’s reply ‘I know not this.’

  P1. 8.2 Ranelagh, Strumbolo, Crommells gardens Places of public entertainment. Chelsea Hospital was for wounded soldiers.

  32 Uncircumcised pretences to Chastity Circumcision in B. means re-linquishment of selfhood.

  P1. 9.17–28 I took the sighs… tears flow down All the injustices of this world, just catalogued, are formed by Los into (tragic, indignant) Art.

  Pl. 10] An added plate.

  P1. 10.8 Two Contraries See MHH, passim. All reality is organized into contraries, and the contraries are equally valid. But the Sons of Albion reduce everything to dead moralistic abstraction.

  37–8 thy Sins/That thou callest thy Children The creative acts of Los, the prophets and visionaries throughout history, are called sins.

  P1. 11.8 Then Erin came forth Erin (Ireland) is a figure of faith and hope for liberty throughout J.

  19–20 Sobrina (& Ignoge… light and love An ironic image.

  22 mandrake… before Reubens gate Mandrakes were supposed to make those who ate them sexually desirable. Reuben’s mandrakes were a source of jealous contention between his mother Leah, and Rachel, Jacob’s other wife (Genesis 30).

  24–5 To the children of Los, anything in Nature is but a reflection of Eternity.

  P1. 12.1 Why wilt thou give to her a Body Los answers this question in 1.13: all falsehoods must be given bodies – must be fully realized and encountered in order to be disproved.

  5 the finger of God God’s finger will touch the seventh furnace which is the seventh eye of God – Jesus – as in FZ VIII.

  7 I feel my Emanation also dividing The division of Enitharmon from Los is not occurring for the first time just now; it is co-incident with the initial Fall and is a fact throughout the history of lapsed mankind. Los ‘feels’ his pain afresh, as if it were new – a sign of his strong memory of Eternity and desire for wholeness.

  14 Appollyon (Gr., ‘destroyer’.) A tormenting angel of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9:11; and the ‘foul fiend’ whose reasons and darts Christian meets and overcomes in the Valley of Humiliation in Pilgrim’s Progress.

  16 Such were the lamentations The lamentations are in fact full of hope.

  P1. 12.25-Pl. 13.29 The City of Golgonooza is described, parallel to the description of the Temple in Ezekiel 40–43 and of new Jerusalem in Revelation 21.

  P1. 12.26 Ethinthus A vague ‘Queen of Waters’ in Europe. Tyburn The site of the gallows in London.

  28 Paddington A slum district, adjacent to Tyburn. The sense is that of the Beatitudes. Can it be, B. asks, that blessed are the poor in spirit, and they that mourn, and they that are persecuted? Do we see the Kingdom of Heaven being built for them?

  43–4 Jerusalem wanders… among the dark Satanic wheels Jerusalem was dispersed among the Starry Wheels (a rational universe of Newtonian vacuity) in 5.46–53.

  45 fourfold Four and its multiples represent human perfection in B. (Four Zoas, four directions of the compass, four elements, four worlds of Eden, Beulah, Generation, Ulro, and ‘fourfold vision’ as the highest possible to attain.) To visualize Golgonooza one would need four dimensions, as one also needs to describe the infinite yet closed universe of post-Einsteinian cosmology.

  54–60 The correspondences are:

  West – Tongue – Circumference

  Eden

  South – Eyes – Zenith

  Beulah

  East – Nostrils – Centre

  Ulro

  North – Ear – Nadir

  Generation

  58 Ezekiel… by Chebars flood Ezekiel (1:1–14) saw ‘visions of God’ beginning with ‘the likeness of four living creatures… they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings… Their wings were joined… they went every one straight forward… they… had the face of a man… a lion… an ox… an eagle.’

  P1. 13.22–3 but the third Gate… threefold curtain Three and its multiples always represent imperfection or incompleteness in B. The curtain here suggests the veil of sexuality.

  26–9 sixty-four thousand 43 = 64, a perfect number; multiplication by 1000 implies merely ‘a great multitude’.

  Genii, Gnomes, Nymphs, Fairies These are elemental servants of the Four Zoas.

  32 Twenty-seven Heavens A vision of the celestial firmament as twenty-seven concentric spheres of religious error within the Mundane Shell (the sky). See M 37.35, and Dictionary of Proper Names.

  36 And there it meets Eternity again ‘Eternity’ exists in the furthest reaches beyond ourselves, and in the furthest reaches within ourselves: the two are one.

  56 the City of Golgonooza, & its smaller Cities The ‘suburbs’ of Golgonooza include all the spiritual enemies of Israel. Art must include and express the doctrines even of its foes, in order to give Error a body.

  P1. 14.2–10 Los sees the COVERING CHERUB which guards the tree of life, and the fallen forms of the other three Zoas: ORC (fallen Luvah) as serpent, URIZEN as dragon, THARMAS as false tongue; and their lost emanations, as well as his own, ENITHARMON.

  19–24 The gates in loins, heart and head are ‘doors of perception’ as in MHH Pl. 14, p. 187 above.

  26 the western gate… is clos’d As is the western gate of Golgonooza which faces Eden.

  34] Concluding line originally followed by: ‘End of the ist Chap:’; later deleted.

  P1. 15.5 such is my awful Vision Blake now enters the poem and speaks personally. What Los sees, he sees. There follows an analysis of the present state of Europe.

  18–20 wheel without wheel An emblem of Machinery, opposed to the Wheel within Wheel emblem of Vision (as in Ezekiel’s ‘wheel in the middle of a wheel’ belonging to the ‘four living creatures’).

  22 the Four Sons of Los Rintrah, Palambron, Theotormon, Bromion.

  24–9 In Eternity, Albion and Israel are one. In our world, they are geographically divided. Abram, twelve generations after Noah, entered into covenant with God, left his native Chaldea, was re-named Abraham, ‘father of many nations’, and given Canaan as the promised land for his seed When the covenant is renewed after the exile in Egypt, Reuben, Jacob-Israel’s eldest son, representing all twelve sons, settles in Canaan. This settlement in ‘a little & dark Land’ (FZ 11.25.24) is simultaneously a curse and a blessing: it perpetuates division (between the chosen people and the rest of Mankind) yet is the fulfilment of prophecy, and so is part of the redeeming labours of Los’s sons.

  34 the Valley of the Son of
Hinnom Place just outside Jerusalem where children were supposedly sacrificed by fire (2 Chronicles 28:3, 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31–2). Los’s redemptive work goes on even here.

  P1. 16.1–27 The sons of Los, Bromion, Theotormon, Palambron, Rintrah, labouring in London’s suburbs, London itself, and throughout England.

  28–60 A catalogue of correspondences between the counties of Great Britain and the lands of the twelve tribes of Israel, established when Mankind was divided.

  P1. 17.6–15 Probably personal: Blake can contend with male opposition, but against female temptation he must harden his heart and act brutally, or he will become softened and unfit for work. He therefore responds to flirtation with open lust, and the ladies then take refuge in seeming chastity. Compare the brutality of Tamburlaine to the four virgins of Egypt who sue for pity (Tamburlaine the Great v.i.64–190), and the association of this with his poetic love for Zenocrate like that of Los–Blake for Enitharmon–Catherine.

  22 Tormented with sweet desire Los–Blake admits that he is tempted, but knows the temptresses cannot really love him, since they hate his inspiration–wife. Vala likewise tempts Albion, Pls. 20–23.

  33 Negations are not Contraries Los–Blake now turns on his spectre, calls it a mere negation and warns it against vainglorious ambition. This is a necessary warning because the spectre is so useful to Los.

  51–6 The division of Enitharmon in a globe of blood is from BU v. The separation of his spectre from his back is in Milton 3.34–6.

  59 Go thou to Skofield… Bath… Canterbury Ask the Accuser if he is a physical or spiritual healer. Bath and Canterbury are developed Pls. 41–6.

  P1. 18 The hateful conclave of Albion’s sons rejects Jerusalem–Liberty.

  P1. 18.2 Outside Outside of reality. This term always means ‘void’ in Blake. Eternity is always ‘within’ and makes true definite forms defined by an ‘outline of identity’. The Outside meets itself four-dimensionally here, as Eternity meets itself in 13.35–6.

  8 Three Immense Wheels The twelve Sons of Albion group themselves as Accuser, Judge, Executioner, against Jerusalem.

  26 the Perfect: Albion’s sons justify the morally ‘pure’ or ‘good’, called ‘Angels’ in MHH and ‘Elect’ in Milton.

  30 She is our Mother! Nature! Vala, Nature, is not in fact their real mother. ‘Sinful Jerusalem’ is, but they disown her.

  32 the Potters field A burial place for paupers and criminals.

  33 Her little-ones implies vessels of Christ: ‘Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.’ (Matthew 18:5–6; see also Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2.)

  39 Hand… absorb’d Albions Twelve Sons The rational man leads the rest.

  P1. 19.1–14] Repe ated almost unchanged from FZ lx.119.33–120.3.

  16 His Eon His emanation.

  17–20 his Sons… Spectres of the Twentyfour Albion’s sons are spectres of his twenty-four ‘friends’ (the cathedral cities of Pl. 36ff.).

  36 Albion’s heart was hardened against his friends (1. 30), thanks to his sons. Resisting help, he grows solid (clos’d) and opaque (darkning).

  41–2 Vala/The Lilly of Havilah Pure and sterile beauty. ‘Havilah’ means ‘sand’.

  P1. 20.5 Wherefore hast thou shut me Jerusalem addresses Albion, but is answered instead by Vala.

  11 Vala replied The reply appears sympathetic, but implies that Jerusalem has deserved her present exile.

  21 Jerusalem answer’d Jerusalem understands the implied accusation and replies that the answer to ‘Sin ‘is love and forgiveness. She reminds Vala also of the mutual former love among herself, Vala and Albion.

  36 Albion lov ‘d thee! he rent thy Veil! Sexually, Albion took Vala’s virginity. Spiritually, he destroyed the barrier to the Holy of Holies, thus making possible access to God. The rending of the veil of the Temple at the death of Jesus signified the New Dispensation, ending the Dispensation of Law.

  P1. 21 Deluded Albion takes on the role of Job, revels in his suffering and blames all on female lack of chastity.

  P1. 22 Vala claims that she has suffered under accusations of sin (Albion’s sons) and been saved only by war (Nimrod). Albion too, she says, is secretly sinful.

  P1. 22.19 Then spoke Jerusalem Jerusalem alone does not share Albion’s and Vala’s obsession with sin and accusation.

  Pl. 23 Albion, in a frenzy of accusation and self-accusation, collapses.

  P1. 23.5 Hast thou again… Vala Jerusalem’s sustained love, which is still willing to offer Vala to Albion without jealousy, is her re-knitting of Vala’s veil. To Albion this is sinful.

  7 O wretched Father! Albion in self-pity addresses himself.

  20 he bore the Veil whole away Instead of rending the veil, Albion maintains it as a trap for mortal souls (1. 23) and a shroud for himself (1. 35).

  26 These were his last words Albion’s final monologue parallels Satan’s introspective soliloquy on Mt Niphates (Paradise Lost IV.32–113). Like Satan, Albion convinces himself of his own turpitude and distance from God.

  P1. 24.3 Two bleeding Contraries Contraries such as ‘good and ‘evil’are necessary for life (see MHH Pl. 3). But these contraries have been wounded by Albion’s ‘Reasoning Negation’, thanks to the destructive work of Albion’s sons, 10.8.

  4–7 We reared mighty Stones… Shame siezd us A primitive Druid rite ends in shame at nakedness, like that of the fallen Adam and Eve.

  17–50 O Jerusalem Jerusalem… were there Albion temporarily remembers his true union with Jerusalem, when even the arch-foe Babylon paid homage to her, and all nations were one in Jesus.

  52 Yet why these smitings of Luvah Luvah has smitten Albion with boils (21.4, 43.64) like those of Job.

  53–4 O Lamb of God/Thou art a delusion Albion retracts his repentance in doubt.

  57–9 Dost thou appear… merciful upon me The Lamb suddenly appears to Albion, as God does to Marlowe’s Faustus in extremis. The cry of Faustus is (‘v.ii.191)‘My God, my God, look not so fierce on me!’ Albion paradoxically is refusing salvation.

  P1. 25.8 not one sparrow can suffer ‘Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father’ (Matthew 10:29).

  13 the Creation of States & the deliverance of Individuals The doctrine of States –B.’s means of loving the sinner while hating the sin–is explained in M 32.10–32 and f 49.65–75. A state such as the ‘state of sin’ may be merely occupied temporarily by an individual.

  CHAPTER 2

  This chapter, prefaced by an address ‘To the Jews’, focuses on the opposition between Moral Virtue, which is seen as a disease, and Mercy. As narrative, it pursues the decline of Albion into righteousness and vengeance, but promises ultimate deliverance in the Saviour. The episodes are as follows:

  P1s. 28–30: Albion establishes Sin, Moral Virtue and the Law of God. His rejection of Humanity is confirmed by his spectre and by Vala’s domination over him.

  P1s. 30–32: The conquest of the Holy Land by the twelve tribes of Israel (represented by Reuben) takes place. The ‘binding down’ of Reuben’s senses to earth and materialism also affects the gentile nations, the sons of Albion and the Zoas, all of whom degenerate. But the Divine Hand establishes limits to this decline.

  P1s. 33–42: Albion is pursued and exhorted to awake by Los, the Divine Family, the Friends (his cathedral cities) and the Zoas. But he rejects all help and falls into non-entity. The Friends are infected by Albion’s disease; Los alone remains as watchman.

  P1s. 43–4: The promise of the Divine Vision; the tale of Albion’s original fall; the prayer of Los.

  P1s. 45–8: Los as watchman explores Albion’s interior. He sees Man’s sufferings, Vala condemning Jerusalem and glorifying War, the defiant sons of Albion building Druid temples, and the vengeful strife of Albion against Luvah. Albion repea
ts his last words (of Pl. 24), ‘Hope is banish’d from me,’ but the Saviour places him upon the Rock of Ages and builds for him the couch of the scriptures.

  P1s. 48–50: Erin creates a protective space for Jerusalem. Communing with the Daughters of Beulah, she laments Man’s degeneration to materialism and promises regeneration.

  P1. 27.2–3 Was Britain the Primitive Seat…? A number of eighteenth-century antiquarians argued that the Druids of Britain were actually the Patriarchs of the Old Testament.

  17 You have a tradition The Cabbalistic tradition of Adam Kadmon (lit. ‘Ancient Man’) whom B. identifies with Albion.

  25 the Elohim The name of God in Genesis 1.

  41–3 The direction of Jerusalem’s fall is eastwards from London (as in f5.48) towards Palestine.

  77–8 B. denounces the doctrine of a chosen people as selfish and Satanic.

  P1. 28 Albion establishes Sin, Moral Virtue and the Law of God.

  P1. 28.15 A deadly Tree See TREE OF MYSTERY.

  21–2 Albion began to erect.… rocks An altar of unhewn stones inscribed with the Law is raised in Joshua 8:30–32.

  P1. 29] Pls. 29–46 are found in two arrangements. The present sequence follows that of copies [a, c, f] bracketed numbers indicate the order of copies [d, e].

  P1. 29.7 The gourd in Jonah 4:10‘came up in a night, and perished in a night’.

  26–7 Albions Emanation…Appeard The ‘appearance’ is Vala, not Jerusalem, and Albion now worships Vala.

  P1. 29.36-Pl. 30.1 Vala’s memory of Eternity and her assertions about the present are equally delusive. She exalts her past position falsely, indulges in unjustified self-pity for her ‘love’ of Jerusalem and wrongly but seductively claims that Beauty is superior to Brotherhood.

  P1. 30.2–16 The awesomeness of Vala’s beauty has emasculated Albion, though in part against his better judgement.

  3–4 milky fear!/A dewy garment The ejaculation and perspiration of Albion’s sexual dream.

  10 why have thou elevate inward Why have you usurped a position which you should not have?

  15 they neither marry nor are given in marriage Quotes Matthew 22:30. In B.’s Eternity, humanity is not separated into sexes, and so has no need of marriage.

 

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