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| British Library Four Zoas Manuscript Page 129 |
Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 128, (E 397)
"Vala awoke. When in the pleasant gates of sleep I enterd
I saw my Luvah like a spirit stand in the bright air
Round him stood spirits like me who reard me a bright house
And here I see thee house remain in my most pleasant world
PAGE 129
My Luvah smild I kneeled down he laid his hand on my head
And when he laid his hand upon me from the gates of sleep I came
Into this bodily house to tend my flocks in my pleasant garden
So saying she arose & walked round her beautiful house
And then from her white door she lookd to see her bleating lambs
But her flocks were gone up from beneath the trees into the hills
I see the hand that leadeth me doth also lead my flocks
She went up to her flocks & turned oft to see her shining house
She stopd to drink of the clear spring & eat the grapes & apples
She bore the fruits in her lap she gatherd flowers for her bosom
She called to her flocks saying follow me O my flocks
They followd her to the silent vall[e]y beneath the spreading trees
And on the rivers margin she ungirded her golden girdle
She stood in the river & viewd herself within the watry glass
And her bright hair was wet with the waters She rose up from the river
And as she rose her Eyes were opend to the world of waters
She saw Tharmas sitting upon the rocks beside the wavy sea
He strokd the water from his beard & mournd faint thro the summer vales
And Vala stood on the rocks of Tharmas & heard his mournful voice
O Enion my weary head is in the bed of death
For weeds of death have wrapd around my limbs in the hoary deeps
I sit in the place of shells & mourn & thou art closd in clouds
When will the time of Clouds be past & the dismal night of Tharmas
Arise O Enion Arise & smile upon my head
As thou dost smile upon the barren mountains and they rejoice
When wilt thou smile on Tharmas O thou bringer of golden day
Arise O Enion arise for Lo I have calmd my seas
So saying his faint head he laid upon the Oozy rock
And darkness coverd all the deep the light of Enion faded
Like a fa[i]nt flame quivering upon the surface of the darkness
Then Vala lifted up her hands to heaven to call on Enion
She calld but none could answer her & the Eccho of her voice returnd
Where is the voice of God that calld me from the silent dew
Where is the Lord of Vala dost thou hide in clefts of the rock
Why shouldst thou hide thyself from Vala from the soul that wanders desolate
She ceas'd & light beamd round her like the glory of the morning
PAGE 130
And She arose out of the river & girded on her golden girdle"
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| British Museum Illustrations to Young's Night Thoughts |
As Vala was able to relinquish her diseased expressions of emotion which had accumulated during the fall and sleep of Albion, she realized the gentle beauty which was within and around her. It was not for herself alone that she has been healed, but for her flocks who were vulnerable and looked to her for care. While tending her flocks she was led to a river where she received a vision of Tharmas and his world of fluctuating time and space flowing in the milieu of matter.
Seeing the distress of Tharmas as he futilely attempted to effect the return of his Emanation Enion, Vala appealed to Enion to awake and arise. Although Vala's calls to Enion went unanswered, her appeal to the 'voice' that had called her back to consciousness, elicited a response. She received a vision of his presence as light surrounding her and she was motivated to prepare herself for further tasks.
As was Blake's custom, he used an illustration from Night Thoughts which would not ordinarily be linked with his text. The image can be associated with Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan from the gospel of Luke. Christ himself is shown in the role of the Samaritan offering a balm in an egg shaped container labelled with a serpent. The other two passers-by retreat into the distance. Prominently shown is the beast on which the wounded man was to be transported. The scene is set under the palm of suffering and the oak of weeping which Blake references in this passage in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Plate 58, (E 208)
"A World of Generation continually Creating; out of
The Hermaphroditic Satanic World of rocky destiny.
PLATE 59
And formed into Four precious stones. for enterance from Beulah
For the Veil of Vala which Albion cast into the Atlantic Deep
To catch the Souls of the Dead: began to Vegetate & Petrify
Around the Earth of Albion. among the Roots of his Tree
This Los formed into the Gates & mighty Wall, between the Oak
Of Weeping & the Palm of Suffering beneath Albions Tomb,
Thus in process of time it became the beautiful Mundane Shell,
The Habitation of the Spectres of the Dead & the Place
Of Redemption & of awaking again into Eternity"
The
process of redemption is taking place at many levels, in many ways. The
unexpected appearance of means and instruments of redemption are
available for those who listen and see and request, and who recognize
the light that appears 'like the glory of the morning.'Luke 10
[25] And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
[26] He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
[27] And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
[28] And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
[29] But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
[30] And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
[31] And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
[32] And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
[33] But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
[34] And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
[35] And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
[36] Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
[37] And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise
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