LOVE & NOT HATE

This is a continuation of the post FORMS SUBLIME.

Yale Center for British Art
Jerusalem
 Plate 28, Proof

We can shift our minds here for a bit and think of the new creations from Los and Enitharmon as the images and books William and Catherine Blake were creating in the workshop in their home. The sacrifice of a conventional lifestyle and worldly success was what they chose in exchange of the survival of their little books and strange pictures which emanated from their hands. Were they changed by seeing the visions and messages which originated in their brains take form in pictures and poetry? Indeed they were. They knew they were being changed: in the way they reasoned, and in the way their bodies became instruments for the execution by the life-giving imagination. And by working and seeing their work take material form, they were keeping their hope alive that other people could experience a transformation in the manner they could perceive nature. 
 
The word 'individual' has an obsolete meaning which enhances our perception; it means inseparable. The Zoa is the whole individual and in essence is inseparable. The aspects into which the Zoa splits are illusions; temporary concepts which serve a purpose for explanation, not as lasting parts. We have been witnessing Blake's bringing together of the archetypal manifestations which have for a period acted as independent parts. Urthona's Spectre is comforted, Tharmas rejoices at the hope of the return of his emanation Enion. Urizen's Shadow is drawn away from his Spectrous form allowing aspects of him to become identified with parallel aspects in Los. 
  
These events have broken through Los's defenses. He can no longer perceive Urizen as an enemy but sees him as one of the loved infants whom he and Enitharmon were releasing into experience. The stage has been set for further reconciliations.

Four Zoas, Night VII, Page 98 [90], (E 371) 

...

"But Los loved them & refusd to Sacrifice their infant limbs   
And Enitharmons smiles & tears prevaild over self protection
They rather chose to meet Eternal death than to destroy
The offspring of their Care & Pity Urthonas spectre was comforted
But Tharmas most rejoicd in hope of Enions return
For he beheld new Female forms born forth upon the air    
Who wove soft silken veils of covering in sweet rapturd trance
Mortal & not as Enitharmon without a covering veil

First his immortal spirit drew Urizen[s] Shadow away  
From out the ranks of war separating him in sunder
Leaving his Spectrous form which could not be drawn away     
Then he divided Thiriel the Eldest of Urizens sons
Urizen became Rintrah Thiriel became Palamabron
Thus dividing the powers of Every Warrior
Startled was Los he found his Enemy Urizen now
In his hands. he wonderd that he felt love & not hate     
His whole soul loved him he beheld him an infant
Lovely breathd from Enitharmon he trembled within himself

PAGE 90 [98]

         End of The Seventh Night" 

British Library
Four Zoas Manuscript
Page 98