The Complete Poems

by William Blake

  27–8 There is a Throne… her own The doctrine is from 1 Corinthians 11:3–9: ‘But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man… Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.’ Vala has destroyed this order.

  36 Hand is the leader of Albion’s sons; Reuben, called ‘unstable as water’ (Genesis 49:3), the eldest of the sons of Israel. The following passage concerns the settlement of the Promised Land (from Joshua 13–21) , which Los–Blake deplores. Los from Mam-Tor, a hill in Derbyshire, sees Reuben in Bashan, a territory east of the river Jordan. (Reuben, Gad and Manesseh were given lands east of the Jordan.) Succoth and Zaretan are cities east and west of the Jordan. Bohan is a boundary stone.

  46 the Daughters of Albion divided Luvah This story does not occur elsewhere and is never developed.

  47 Los bended his Nostrils down Reuben, as he gains earthly territory, loses his perceptive powers. His eyes, tongue, ears follow (Pl. 32). In each case Reuben’s limited perceptions also affect the Gentile nations.

  58 Consider Sexual Organization Sexual organization – any organism in the state of Generation–is by nature limited.

  P1.31 An interruption in the story. The Saviour establishes limits to Albion’s fall, and promises ultimate deliverance.

  P1. 31.1 the Two Limits, Satan and Adam The lower limits of Opacity and Contraction in Mankind’s collapse.

  11 No individual can keep these Laws Albion’s promulgation of Law was the opening act of Chapter 2 (Pl. 28).

  13 Albion hath enterd the State Satan! Albion has become–for the time being– ‘Satanic’; that is, as mentally opaque as it is possible to be. The doctrine of States is examined M 32.10–38, f 49.65–75. A State may be accursed; an individual cannot be.

  P1. 32 The story of the settlement of the Promised Land continues.

  P1. 32.10 Heshbon… Moab These lands border the territory assigned to Reuben, on the north and south.

  12 Mount Gilead… Gilgal Reuben faces the Promised Land from

  the east.

  14 The Seven Nations The Gentiles.

  25–42 Cosmic disruption within and around Albion accompanies the foregoing appropriation of territory by the tribes of Israel. The Zoas sink into lower material forms: Urizen–air–fairies; Luvah–fire–genies; Tharmas–water–nymphs; Urthona–earth–gnomes.

  29 Urizen… East, Luvah…. South They reverse their proper stations.

  34] Conjectural reading of deeply gouged deletion (Erdman).

  39 The Atlantic Continent Fabled Atlantis, sunk beneath the Atlantic ocean in the Flood; a myth employed also in America.

  41 Reuben is Merlin Reuben, like Merlin, was led astray by a woman.

  P1.–33.I] Line added by engraving on the etched plate.

  10 blue death] Mended in all copies from pale death, to suggest that Albion is Druidic; but ‘pale’ is restored in one copy.

  P1. 34.29 I behold London Here begins the evocation of Albion’s Friends, his cities in human form, who guard and try to help him. This treatment of geography contrasts with the dehumanizing conquest and partition of the Promised Land in the preceding episode. The Friends (listed in 36.47–61, 41.1–19) are the twenty-seven cathedral cities of England, plus Edinburgh. London, Verulam–Canterbury, York and Edinburgh are chief’guardian cities’. In effect, as centres of moral leadership, the cities constitute Albion’s conscience.

  55–6 The Gate of Luban, limit of Los’s redeeming power, invisible to mortal men. Just outside this gate is the threat of Eternal Death (35.8), equated with the system of Moral Virtue (35.10). Albion, fleeing his would-be saviours, enters this gate (35.11).

  P1. 35.12–13 Los… In Cambridgeshire.… is the twenty-eighth Cambridge was Milton’s university, and Milton was the last great representative of Los on earth, hence twenty-eighth. There are twenty-eight Friends in all, as also twenty-eight heavens in M. As a multiple of four, twenty-eight is a ‘perfect’ number.

  P1. 36.3 The Friends of Albion Albion’s cathedral cities (see note on 34.29). There are twenty-eight in all, of which four appear in 34.40–51, and the rest arrive in 36.21.

  45 And these the Twenty-four (See previous note.) The list of Albion’s Friends begins here and is continued on Pl. 41.

  48 Selsey Threatened by coastal erosion, Selsey’s village and church were moved inland to Chichester in 1075.

  P1. 37.1–2 Bath… the physician and/The poisoner In Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History, Merlin prophesies that Bath’s healing waters will ‘bring forth death’. B.’s meaning possibly is that physical healing may be spiritual harm.

  5–6 To cast Jerusalem… to Poplar & Bow… Malden G& Canterbury East London and east England – the direction of Jerusalem’s ‘fall’ (as in 5.48 and 27.41).

  7–8 Islington & Pancrass, Marybone… Tyburn Moves in an arc from north to west London.

  11 She fled to Lambeths mild Vale Blake lived in Lambeth from 1791 to 1800. The following passage allegorizes the‘protection’ of Jerusalem by Blake’s love. The encroaching Rephaim (1. 12) is Philistine territory.

  15 There is a Grain of Sand ‘To see a World in a Grain of Sand’ (‘Auguries of Innocence’, Pickering MS., p. 506 above).

  The design at the foot of this plate shows a man with his head on his knees. At his side is a scroll of mirror-writing: ‘Each Man is in/his Spectres power/Untill the arrival/of that Hour,/When his Humanity/awake/And cast his Spectre/Into the Lake.’ A draft of these lines is in the Notebook, p. 494.

  P1. 38 The general theme of this plate is the destructive effect of Albion’s fall, especially in producing war and enmity among men.

  P1. 38.1 The Zoas are acting their worst selves, though in self-defence.

  5 the Four Complexions A phrase not used elsewhere: the qualities or humours of the Four Zoas?

  6 Oaks Associated with human sacrifice. See DRUIDS.

  7 Tharmas dash’d on the Rocks… in Mexico Tharmas, when disorganized, is water. The reference is to Aztec human sacrifice, associated for B. with Druidism.

  37 Oshea and Caleb fight Joshua and Caleb were stoned by their brothers for insisting that Canaan could be conquered and settled (Numbers 14:7–10).

  39 Balaam A Moabite who was converted to the side of the Israelites.

  48 We smell the blood of the English! From the folk-tale giant’s chant: ‘Fe Fi Fo Fum/I smell the blood of an Englishman.’

  65 Wicker Idol Druid figure in which men were supposedly burned alive, according to Caesar’s Commentaries.

  66 Canaanite… Egyptian Nations hostile to Israel.

  74 All you my Friends & Brothers Los addresses his fellow Zoas, now associated with the Friends of Albion.

  Pl. 39.5–6 Albion dark,/Repugnant Albion repels his Zoas, resists being returned to Eden and rolls backwards into Ulro.

  P1. 40.1–2 Bath… mild spoke In 1804, Richard Warner of Bath preached and published a radically pacifist sermon, War Inconsistent with Christianity. Here, the ‘healing city’ preaches that man can be healed only by Jesus.

  17 Albions Western Gate is clos’d This is the entrance to Eden. It has been closed since the poem’s beginning.

  19 When Africa in sleep This story that ‘Africa’ once rebelled like ‘Albion’ is not mentioned elsewhere.

  40] Line added by engraving on the etched plate.

  P1. 41.7 Oxford, immortal Bard! Possibly Edward March, Fellow of Oriel, referred to by B. as ‘Edward the Bard of Oxford’ (letter to Hayley, 27 January 1804).

  P1. 42 Albion now is confirmed in error, and opposes ‘Righteousness’ and ‘Justice’ to Los’s mercy.

  P1. 42.3–4 He saw… own beloveds Albion has cursed his own free impulses, hereafter referred to as his ‘little ones’.

  29 a limit of Opakeness… a limit of Contraction imply, respectively, ‘hardness’ of heart and ‘narrowness’ of perception. These limits were established by the Saviour in Pl. 31.

  32–3 the Saviour… forms Woman The creation of sexes is nece
ssary for Generation; Generation is necessary for progress towards redemption. Without it, humanity would remain static and doomed.

  41 these little ones… the Lords anointed Albion’s own impulses, which he seeks to destroy, are favoured by God.

  47 fiend] Etched ‘friend’, probably in error.

  51 Blackheath & Hounslow… Norwood & Finchley London’s east, west, south, north.

  76 Serpent Temples Druid temples.

  80 Norwood & Finchley & Blackheath & Hounslow See 1. 51 above.

  P1. 43 The scene is sunset, preceding Albion’s Dark Night.

  P1. 43.9 The Reactor That part of Albion which believes in Sin and Repentance? The term is not used elsewhere.

  14–15 Reaction… Action Newton’s famous Third Law is that ‘every Action must have an equal but opposite Reaction’. This fits B.’s theory of the necessary contraries in human life (MHH Pls. 3–4). But Albion has allowed his Reaction (his Morality) to dominate him totally.

  18 Ephratah Bethelehem.

  28 rocks] Etched ‘locks’, probably in error (see 1. 2).

  two Immortal forms Los’s Spectre and Emanation flee from Albion’s mind.

  29 We alone are escaped The messengers of disaster to Job each repeat, ‘I only am escaped alone to tell thee.’ In the remainder of this plate, the ‘two forms’ relate the initial Fall of Albion (a version similar to that III FZ in). Albion’s errors are, first, the worship of his own Shadow, and second, the rejection of Luvah.

  P1. 44.2 Spectre In this episode the Spectre of Los is his friend, not his foe. L1. 9–15 seem autobiographical, referring to Blake’s Felpham troubles.

  11 Uncircumcision Always a negative term in Blake, signifying retention of selfhood.

  18 Feminine Allegories Also a negative term. ‘Allegory’ in B. usually means ‘Church-propagated Lie’.

  34–5 Tabernacle… Cherubim The Tabernacle of the Female is like that described in Exodus 25, with a veiled inner room called the Holy of Holies. See CHERUBIM.

  38 Albion’s submission to Vala brings him to his nadir. But this is necessary for salvation, just as Generation is necessary for Regeneration.

  P1. 45 Los begins his exploration of Albion’s interior life.

  P1. 45.7 Minute Particular Usually a term B. uses to refer to the details of a work of art. Here it means ‘Englishmen’.

  12 Heber & Terah Ancestors of Abraham. The imagery of the previous lines is that of making bricks from a mould.

  14–16 Highgate… Rivers side Los walks the fringes of London, from north (Urthona’s realm) to east (Luvah’s realm).

  the Isle/Of Leuthas Dogs The Isle of Dogs, a district famous for vice.

  18 kennels Open drains, gutters.

  25 Bethlehem Bedlam, the madhouse (lit. ‘house of bread’).

  32 The revenger acts against Providence, which works by forgiveness rather than punishment.

  37–8 hinder the Sons/Of Albion from taking vengeance Specifically political: hinder England from punishing France (here represented by Luvah).

  40 Westminster & Marybone Los now moves westwards, the direction of Liberty and the closed gate towards Eden.

  Pl. 46.1 his disease Albion’s disease is Moral Virtue.

  Pl. 47.9 the cries of War on the Rhine & Danube The Napoleonic wars.

  Pl. 48.1 These were his last words Picks up from Albion’s collapse, Pl. 24, but now a comfort is added: the couch of the scriptures is built for Albion’s repose.

  13–14 Beneath the bottoms of the Graves… a place Beulah is at the joining-place of Eden, Ulro and Generation. Here begins a movement of comfort, as Erin and the Daughters of Beulah create a protective space for exiled Jerusalem. This parallels the couch of the scriptures built by the Saviour for Albion, mentioned above.

  27 the… Friends of Albion His cities, who were unable to save him (Pl. 39).

  28 an Aged pensive Woman Erin.

  30–38 she took/A Moment of Time… an Atom of Space Theopening-up of times and spaces for recovery of lost souls is an essential labour of Beulah. See FZ 1.5.29–37; M Pl. 28.

  35 a Rainbow A promise that Mankind will not be destroyed, no matter how sinful.

  44 his seventh Furnace Los’s seventh furnace corresponds to the final cycle of history, before the apocalypse.

  Pl. 49.4–5 Rathlin… Drogheda Irish place-names.

  9 Jerusalem… Shiloh The two sacred cities of the Holy Land.

  15 Gate of Havilah The land of Havilah was encompassed by the Pison, first of the four rivers of Eden. Vala is the Lily of Havilah.

  31 who chargeth his Angels with folly Quotes Job 4:18.

  32–41 Erin’s lament over man’s fallen senses is taken from M 5.19–26.

  42 Therefore they are removed The Sons of Albion have made themselves into Gentiles.

  44the Erythrean Sea The Red Sea, which swallowed up Pharaoh’s army.

  45 then they shall arise The Sons of Albion will recover.

  53–9 Erin sees the omnipresence of Jehovah as guaranteeing that enemy forces shall be turned into allies.

  65 Yet they are blameless As in Lear’s exclamation (IV.vi.172), ‘None does offend, none, I say none!’ The doctrine is that of separating the Sinner from his Sin, in order to accomplish ‘Forgiveness of Enemies’ (1. 75).

  Pl. 50.10 Come Lord Jesus The final prayer of the New Testament (Revelation 22:20).

  11 If thou hadst been here From the Lazarus story: ‘Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died’ (John 11:21).

  27 to let the Sun go down ‘Let not the sun go down upon your wrath’ (Ephesians 4:26).

  30 O Lamb of God… Sin ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). Note, however, the difference between removing sin itself, and B.’s idea of removing remembrance of sin.

  CHAPTER 3

  This chapter, prefaced by an address ‘To the Deists’, develops the opposition between Rationalism and Revelation. Albion is now basically inactive, submerged by his rational Spectre. Thus the primary movement of the poem shows all the forces of Rationalism consolidating. These forces are devoted to War and to religions of human sacrifice, from the Druids to the ‘Natural Religion’ of Blake’s contemporaries. Their worship of a cruel female Nature is gradually revealed, and this movement culminates in the apotheosis of Rahab–Babylon and her twenty-seven Churches. In the counter-movement, we have Los continuing to build Golgonooza, acting as messenger of the Eternal Conclave, labouring at his furnaces, but helpless to influence outward events. The one hopeful moment comes close to the centre of the chapter, as the Divine Vision tries to comfort a despairing Jerusalem with a vision of Joseph and Mary and the forgiveness of sins. The episodes are as follows:

  Pls. 53–6: Los builds Golgonooza amid Albion’s stone altars, while Albion’s Spectre teaches rationalism. The Eternal Conclave elects the Seven Eyes of God, then returns to the plough, declaiming against rationalism and seeking a messenger. Los – responding as messenger – unsuccessfully entreats the Daughters of Albion, as mothers of mankind, to forsake female will. Pl. 57: Albion, fleeing the Divine Vision, is ploughed under by the plough of nations. Pls. 58–9: The daughters of Albion rejoice at war; Luvah’s and Albion’s spectres mingle. Urizen builds his world – mundane shell and mundane egg – while the daughters of Los work in Cathedron, weaving life.

  Pls. 60–62: The Divine Vision tries to comfort Jerusalem.

  Pls. 63–70: A series of related episodes involving war, vengeance, human sacrifice and the shrinking and binding of Man, dominated by seductive goddess-figures, is seen by Los in his furnaces. He periodically comments and exhorts, but goes unheeded.

  Pls. 71–2: Geographical catalogues: the counties of England assigned to Albion’s children in Eternity; the thirty-two counties of Ireland assigned to the tribes of Israel; the thirty-two nations once contained within Albion.

  Pl. 73: Natural Religion creates kings. Los creates prophetic visionaries. Pl. 74: Blake begs the help of the Saviour. The form of Dinah-Er
in appears to him. Pl. 75: Apotheosis of Rahab, the Whore of Babylon.

  Pl. 52. (prose) I To the Deists B. labels all religion and philosophy which dispenses with spiritual inspiration ‘Deist’.

  6 He is in the State named Rahab B. asserts that the preacher of Natural Religion is a worshipper of the kingdoms of this world, allying himself with the Whore of Babylon.

  13–15 your Greek Philosophy… Vegetated Spectre B. attacks the belief that man is ‘naturally’ good.

  43 Foote Samuel Foote, 1720–77, author of The Minor, an anti-Methodist satire.

  44 Whitefield George Whitefield, 1714–70, famous Methodist evangelist.

  Pl. 52. (poem) I I saw a Monk A longer draft of this poem is in the Notebook, p. 491.

  Pl. 53.4 Albions Tree The Tree of Moral Virtue which began to grow at the opening of Chapter 2. See TREE OF MYSTERY.

  10 Seven-fold Los has seven furnaces, each corresponding to an Eye of God or period of human history.

  22 The Twentyfour… Four Albion’s twenty-four cathedral cities, led by Verulam, Edinburgh, London and York.

  29 Hinnoms vale Site of potters’ workshops just outside Jerusalem; also reputedly a place of idolatry and child sacrifice.

  Pl. 54.5 Jerusalem is called Liberty ‘Liberty’ is the quality Englishmen have always prized as uniquely English.

  11 Seeing his Sons assimilate with Luvah See 58.19–20, n.

  21 turn these stones to bread Thus the Devil tempts Jesus in the wilderness, ‘If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread’ (Matthew 4:3).

  25 he is named Arthur B. makes King Arthur, the first monarch of England, a warlike Druid. His love of a false queen, as well as the legend of his death-sleep and promised return, associate him with Albion.

  27 England Albion is Great Britain; England is one portion of him. In 32.28 she ‘divided into Jerusalem and Vala’.

  Pl. 55.12–16 the Princes of the Dead… Into Egypt Kings and priests on earth teach their followers to worship phallic aggressiveness, to exalt a chosen people instead of universal brotherhood, and to enforce order. Since order on command is impossible, Joseph is sold by his jealous brothers into slavery. All this is made possible by the veil which separates man and woman, man and man, man and God.