Jerusalem. The Emanation of the Giant Albion/Plate 43

by William Blake

Jerusalem The Emanation of The Giant Albion, copy A, object 43, "Then the Divine Vision like a silent Sun appeard above..."

[ PLATE 43 [29a] ]

Then the Divine Vision like a silent Sun appeard aboveAlbions dark rocks: setting behind the Gardens of KensingtonOn Tyburns River, in clouds of blood: where was mild Zion HillsMost ancient promontory, and in the Sun, a Human Form appeard5And thus the Voice Divine went forth upon the rocks of Albion

I elected Albion for my glory; I gave to him the Nations,Of the whole Earth. he was the Angel of my Presence: and allThe Sons of God were Albions Sons: and Jerusalem was my joy.The Reactor hath hid himself thro envy. I behold him.10But you cannot behold him till he be reveald in his SystemAlbions Reactor must have a Place prepard: Albion must SleepThe Sleep of Death, till the Man of Sin & Repentance be reveald.Hidden in Albions Forests he lurks: he admits of no ReplyFrom Albion: but hath founded his Reaction into a Law15Of Action, for Obedience to destroy the Contraries of Man[.]He hath compelld Albion to become a Punisher & hath possessdHimself of Albions Forests & Wilds! and Jerusalem is taken!The City of the Woods in the Forest of Ephratah is taken!London is a stone of her ruins; Oxford is the dust of her walls!20Sussex & Kent are her scatterd garments: Ireland her holy place!And the murderd bodies of her little ones are Scotland and WalesThe Cities of the Nations are the smoke of her consummationThe Nations are her dust! ground by the chariot wheelsOf her lordly conquerors, her palaces levelld with the dust25I come that I may find a way for my banished ones to returnFear not O little Flock I come! Albion shall rise again.

So saying, the mild Sun inclosd the Human Family.

Forthwith from Albions darkning [r]ocks came two Immortal formsSaying We alone are escaped. O merciful Lord and Saviour,30We flee from the interiors of Albions hills and mountains!From his Valleys Eastward: from Amalek Canaan & Moab:Beneath his vast ranges of hills surrounding Jerusalem.

Albion walkd on the steps of fire before his HallsAnd Vala walkd with him in dreams of soft deluding slumber.35He looked up & saw the Prince of Light with splendor fadedThen Albion ascended mourning into the porches of his PalaceAbove him rose a Shadow from his wearied intellect:Of living gold, pure, perfect, holy: in white linen pure he hoverd

A sweet entrancing self-delusion a watry vision of Albion40Soft exulting in existence; all the Man absorbing!

Albion fell upon his face prostrate before the watry ShadowSaying O Lord whence is this change! thou knowest I am nothing!And Vala trembled & coverd her face! & her locks were spread on the pavement

We heard astonishd at the Vision & our heart trembled within us:45We heard the voice of slumberous Albion, and thus he spake,Idolatrous to his own Shadow words of eternity uttering:

O I am nothing when I enter into judgment with thee!If thou withdraw thy breath I die & vanish into HadesIf thou dost lay thine hand upon me behold I am silent:50If thou withhold thine hand; I perish like a fallen leaf:O I am nothing: and to nothing must return again:If thou withdraw thy breath. Behold I am oblivion.

He ceasd: the shadowy voice was silent: but the cloud hoverd over their headsIn golden wreathes, the sorrow of Man; & the balmy drops fell down.55And lo! that son of Man that Shadowy Spirit of mild Albion:Luvah descended from the cloud; in terror Albion rose:Indignant rose the awful Man, & turnd his back on Vala.

We heard the voice of Albion starting from his sleep:

Whence is this voice crying Enion! that soundeth in my ears?60O cruel pity! O dark deceit! can love seek for dominion?

And Luvah strove to gain dominion over AlbionThey strove together above the Body where Vala was inclosdAnd the dark Body of Albion left prostrate upon the crystal pavement,Coverd with boils from head to foot: the terrible smitings of Luvah.

65Then frownd the fallen Man, and put forth Luvah from his presenceSaying. Go and Die the Death of Man, for Vala the sweet wanderer.I will turn the volutions of your ears outward, and bend your nostrilsDownward, and your fluxile eyes englob'd roll round in fear:Your withring lips and tongue shrink up into a narrow circle,70Till into narrow forms you creep: go take your fiery way:And learn what tis to absorb the Man you Spirits of Pity & Love.

They heard the voice and fled swift as the winters setting sun.And now the human blood foamd high, the Spirits Luvah & Vala,Went down the Human Heart where Paradise & its joys abounded,75In jealous fears & fury & rage, & flames roll round their fervid feet:And the vast form of Nature like a serpent playd before themAnd as they fled in folding fires & thunders of the deep:

Vala shrunk in like the dark sea that leaves its slimy banks.And from her bosom Luvah fell far as the east and west.80And the vast form of Nature like a serpent rolld between,Whether of Jerusalems or Valas ruins congenerated, we know not:All is confusion: all is tumult, & we alone are escaped.

So spoke the fugitives; they joind the Divine Family, trembling