WISE & FOOLISH

Metropolitan Museum

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Matthew - Pillips Translation

25:1-13 - "In those days the kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were sensible and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. But the sensible ones brought their lamps and oil in their flasks as well. Then, as the bridegroom was a very long time, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night there came a shout, 'Wake up, here comes the bridegroom! Out you go to meet him!" Then up got the bridesmaids and attended to their lamps. The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, 'Please give us some of your oil - our lamps are going out!' 'Oh no,' returned the sensible ones, 'there might not be enough for all of us. Better go to the oil-shop and buy some for yourselves.' But while they had gone off to buy the oil the bridegroom arrived, and those bridesmaids who were ready went in with him for the festivities and the door was shut behind them. Later on the rest of the bridesmaids came and said, 'Oh, please, sir, open the door for us!' But he replied, 'I tell you I don't know you!' So be on the alert - for you do not know the day or the time.

Blake read the Bible as vision and symbol. He painted this illustration similarly. Matthew likens the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins or bridesmaids - as Phillips translates the word. The young women prepared themselves to attend a marriage feast. They hoped to join a ceremony bringing together a man and a woman in holy matrimony. Their part in the festivities will be to bring light. 

But the virgins themselves are divided into two groups: those who bring oil for their lamps and those whose lights will cease to burn if the arrival of the bridegroom is delayed. Five miss the arrival of the bridegroom because they leave to replenish their oil when it is depleted.

The story that Blake tells in the picture is of the two groups of girls. Five are ready to receive the blessing of participating in a wedding. Five are anguished because their lamps can no longer furnish any light for the commemoration of the union.

In the sky above the women, the angel already sounds the trumpet indicating that the time has come that signals the completion of a phase of development and the beginning of a new world.

Milton, Plate 23 [25], (E 118)

"Awake thou sleeper on the Rock of Eternity Albion awake
The trumpet of Judgment hath twice sounded: all Nations are awake
But thou art still heavy and dull: Awake Albion awake!" 

Milton, Plate 25 [27], (E 121) 

"And Los stood & cried to the Labourers of the Vintage in voice of awe.

Fellow Labourers! The Great Vintage & Harvest is now upon Earth
The whole extent of the Globe is explored: Every scatterd Atom
Of Human Intellect now is flocking to the sound of the Trumpet
All the Wisdom which was hidden in caves & dens, from ancient    
Time; is now sought out from Animal & Vegetable & Mineral

The Awakener is come. outstretchd over Europe! the Vision of God is fulfilled
The Ancient Man upon the Rock of Albion Awakes," 

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 117, (E 386)

"But Jesus stood beside them in the Spirit Separating
Their Spirit from their body. Terrified at Non Existence 

For such they deemd the death of the body. Los his vegetable hands
Outstretchd his right hand branching out in fibrous Strength
Siezd the Sun. His left hand like dark roots coverd the Moon
And tore them down cracking the heavens across from immense to immense
Then fell the fires of Eternity with loud & shrill 
Sound of Loud Trumpet thundering along from heaven to heaven
A mighty sound articulate Awake ye dead & come
To judgment from the four winds Awake & Come away" 

 

 

THE GARMENT

 Reposted from June 2017

Wikimedia Commons
Detail from Jerusalem Plate 59

Northrop Frey's Fearful Symmetry never fails to yield insight into the intricacies of Blake complex imagery. On Page 381, he states:

"Most of the references to clothing in the Bible represent the transparent 'net' which the fallen world flings around us, woven by Vala, who also weaves armor of conflict, shells of stupidity, or coverings of concealment and shame like the fig-leaves of Adam and Eve. 
...
On the other hand, the 'seamless garment' of the cross and the linen clothes abandoned by Jesus in his tomb represent the imagination's escape from this through another power, of which Blake gives us a glimpse in his remarkable picture of the solicitous Fates in Plate 59. This is the power of seeing the physical appearance as the covering of the mental reality, yet not so much concealing its shape so much as revealing it in a fallen aspect, and so not the clothing but the body or form of the mental world, through a physical and therefore fallen body or form. If we try to visualize this development of the 'clothing' symbol, we get something more like a mirror, a surface which reveals reality in fewer dimensions that it actually has.
...
The world in which we live therefore contains a 'heaven' or imaginative world in which all natural objects have a mental significance, and a 'hell' or Ulro in which the same natural objects have an opposite significance. The latter is thus a parody or mirror-image, a Vegetable Glass as Blake calls it, of the world of mental reality."

Larry's note on the above passage - "For now we look through a glass darkly."

First Corinthians 13
[8] Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
[9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
[10] But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
[11] When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
[12] For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
[13] And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Hebrews 4
JB Phillips Translation
12-13
For the Word that God speaks is alive and active; it cuts more keenly than any two-edged sword: it strikes through to the place where soul and spirit meet, to the innermost intimacies of a man's being: it exposes the very thoughts and motives of a man's heart. No creature has any cover from the sight of God; everything lies naked and exposed before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Methodist Communion Liturgy
“Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Library of Congress
Milton 
Plate 16

The interior world of Imagination displays reality as it really is. However for those confined to the lower worlds it is possible to see a reflected image of the mental visions of the Eternal. In contemporary terminology the natural world may be thought of as a virtual image of the everlasting dimension. If an individual can learn to see through the virtual image to the content of the permanent originals he will drink of the waters of life and be satisfied.

Unfortunately mankind seems to see the turmoil around him as real, and the world of peace, joy, faith, love and hope as an illusion beyond his grasp. One of Blake's great gifts to us is his images, visual and verbal, of a world more sharp, well defined and inviting than the blurry world mediated to us by our five senses.

In this image we see Milton removing the garment which obscures his ability to see, in order that he may enter the world of Vision.      

Jerusalem, Plate 16, (E 161)
"In Enitharmons Halls builded by Los & his mighty Children        

All things acted on Earth are seen in the bright Sculptures of
Los's Halls & every Age renews its powers from these Works
With every pathetic story possible to happen from Hate or
Wayward Love & every sorrow & distress is carved here
Every Affinity of Parents Marriages & Friendships are here       
In all their various combinations wrought with wondrous Art
All that can happen to Man in his pilgrimage of seventy years
Such is the Divine Written Law of Horeb & Sinai:
And such the Holy Gospel of Mount Olivet & Calvary:" 

Jerusalem, Plate 59, (E 209) 
"in the midst of these              
Is Built eternally the sublime Universe of Los & Enitharmon

And in the North Gate, in the West of the North. toward Beulah
Cathedrons Looms are builded. and Los's Furnaces in the South
A wondrous golden Building immense with ornaments sublime
Is bright Cathedrons golden Hall, its Courts Towers & Pinnacles  

And one Daughter of Los sat at the fiery Reel & another
Sat at the shining Loom with her Sisters attending round
Terrible their distress & their sorrow cannot be utterd
And another Daughter of Los sat at the Spinning Wheel
Endless their labour, with bitter food. void of sleep,           
Tho hungry they labour: they rouze themselves anxious
Hour after hour labouring at the whirling Wheel
Many Wheels & as many lovely Daughters sit weeping

Yet the intoxicating delight that they take in their work
Obliterates every other evil; none pities their tears            
Yet they regard not pity & they expect no one to pity
For they labour for life & love, regardless of any one
But the poor Spectres that they work for, always incessantly

They are mockd, by every one that passes by. they regard not
They labour; & when their Wheels are broken by scorn & malice    
They mend them sorrowing with many tears & afflictions.

Other Daughters Weave on the Cushion & Pillow, Network fine
That Rahab & Tirzah may exist & live & breathe & love
Ah, that it could be as the Daughters of Beulah wish!

Other Daughters of Los, labouring at Looms less fine             
Create the Silk-worm & the Spider & the Catterpiller
To assist in their most grievous work of pity & compassion
And others Create the wooly Lamb & the downy Fowl
To assist in the work: the Lamb bleats: the Sea-fowl cries
Men understand not the distress & the labour & sorrow            
That in the Interior Worlds is carried on in fear & trembling
Weaving the shuddring fears & loves of Albions Families
Thunderous rage the Spindles of iron. & the iron Distaff
Maddens in the fury of their hands, Weaving in bitter tears
The Veil of Goats-hair & Purple & Scarlet & fine twined Linen"

Blake also provided images of the self-destructive world, enamored with its own Selfhood, opposed to receiving Imaginative Vision, it sees with astonishment the consequences of the failures of consciousness in which it engages.

Visions of Last Judgment, (E 558)
"beneath these is the Seat of the Harlot namd
Mystery in the Revelations.  She is [bound] siezed by
Two Beings each with three heads they Represent Vegetative
Existence. as it is written in Revelations they strip her naked
& burn her with fire it represents the Eternal Consummation of
Vegetable Life & Death with its Lusts The wreathed Torches in
their hands represents Eternal Fire which is the fire of
Generation or Vegetation it is an Eternal Consummation Those who
are blessed with Imaginative Vision see This Eternal Female &
tremble at what others fear not  while they laugh at
what others fear Her Kings & Councellors & Warriors descend in
Flames Lamenting & looking upon her in astonishment & Terror. &
Hell is opend beneath her Seat on the Left hand. beneath her
feet is a flaming Cavern in which is seen the Great Red Dragon
with Seven heads & ten Horns   he has Satans book
of Accusations lying on the rock open before him"

PLOW

 

Four Zoas

Page 5 

 

In his thesis Lee Hamilton explored Blake's poem Four Zoas from the perspective of Jungian psychology. His paper is deserving of careful study.

The explanation of the use of the plow as the symbol for the work of Urizen relates to the relationship of consciousness to unconsciousness. If in the first half of life, the task of man is to develop consciousness as represented by his Ego, his thinking controlling function, the second half of life turns to reversing the process. The Ego or consciousness must begin to relinquish control to the aspects of the psyche which have been unconscious. Urizen must relinquish ascendancy to Urthona who represents man's spiritual nature, intuition or wholeness.

Thesis by Lee Hamilton, ENERGY AND ARCHETYPE: A JUNGIAN ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR ZOAS BY WILLIAM BLAKE, Page 49.

 "The furnace is opened, and the molten metal that is now Luvah is allowed to pour out into furrows cut by Urizen's plow of the ages. This act symbolizes the canalization of the Feeling function by the Thinking function. Urizen forces the remains of Luvah into a furrow or form of his own design, just as he forced the Bulls of Luvah by making them pull his plow and do his bidding. The plow symbolizes the mastery of the conscious forces over the unconscious. Wherever the plow goes, it wrests a portion of the soil from its primal, un-conscious state and gives it over to the use of man's conscious intellect (Jung, IX, pt. 2, 148)."

Aion, C G Jung, Page 148:

"Since olden times the plough has stood for man's mastery over the earth: wherever man ploughs, he has wrested a patch of soil from the primal state and put it to his own use. That is to say: the fishes will rule this world and subdue it by working astrologically through man and moulding his consciousness." 

In the first half of life Urizen's plow tills the field breaking the soil and creating the furrows. Through building a system the mind processes the data by which the senses connect the inner world of the mind with the outer material world. Consciousness is expanded at the expense of instinctive unconscious activity.   

A point is reached where there is a realization that there is more to life than life in the material. Recognizing that the body will die but that consciousness is more than the body, man becomes aware that the individual is connected to a greater consciousness. The second half of life can be used to explore and develop the inner life which never dies. Time and Space begin to lose their grip as man perceives the Eternal and Infinite.

In the final resolution of the Four Zoas Urizen plays a pivotal role.  

As expressed by Hamilton on Page 117:

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 124, (E 393)

"The Sons of Urizen Shout Their father rose The Eternal horses
Harnessd They calld to Urizen the heavens moved at their call
The limbs of Urizen shone with ardor. He laid his hand on the Plow                                                       t
Thro dismal darkness drave the Plow of ages over Cities
And all their Villages over Mountains & all their Vallies
Over the graves & caverns of the dead   Over the Planets
And over the void Spaces over Sun & moon & star & constellation"

"As already mentioned, the plowing symbolizes the victory of consciousness over unconsciousness. In this final apocalypse the meaning is the same, but it is applied on a higher plane of consciousness. Urizen's plow passes not over the surface of the Earth but over the entire universe. This represents the victory of a higher level of consciousness, an awareness of the presence of God, the self, and a divine order in the Universe. In psychological terms, this represents an awareness of the self, the God within every man, and its harmonizing influence." 

__________________________________________________________  

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 138, (E 406)

"The Sun has left his blackness & has found a fresher morning     
And the mild moon rejoices in the clear & cloudless night    
And Man walks forth from midst of the fires the evil is all consumd
His eyes behold the Angelic spheres arising night & day
The stars consumd like a lamp blown out & in their stead behold
The Expanding Eyes of Man behold the depths of wondrous worlds 
One Earth one sea beneath nor Erring Globes wander but Stars
Of fire rise up nightly from the Ocean & one Sun
Each morning like a New born Man issues with songs & Joy
Calling the Plowman to his Labour & the Shepherd to his rest
He walks upon the Eternal Mountains raising his heavenly voice   
Conversing with the Animal forms of wisdom night & day
That risen from the Sea of fire renewd walk oer the Earth

For Tharmas brought his flocks upon the hills & in the Vales
Around the Eternal Mans bright tent the little Children play
Among the wooly flocks The hammer of Urthona sounds              
In the deep caves beneath his limbs renewd his Lions roar
Around the Furnaces & in Evening sport upon the plains
They raise their faces from the Earth conversing with the Man

How is it we have walkd thro fires & yet are not consumd
How is it that all things are changd even as in ancient times"  

A Vision of the Last Judgment, (E 554)

"The Nature of Visionary Fancy or Imagination is very little
Known & the Eternal nature & permanence of its ever Existent
Images is considerd as less permanent than the things of
Vegetative & Generative Nature yet the Oak dies as well as the
Lettuce but Its Eternal Image & Individuality never dies. but
renews by its seed. just as the Imaginative Image
returns according to the seed of Contemplative
Thought   the Writings of the Prophets illustrate these conceptions
of the Visionary Fancy by their various sublime & Divine Images
as seen in the Worlds of Vision" 

CONSCIOUSNESS

Fitzwilliam Museum

Jerusalem

Frontispiece

The thing that distinguishes mankind from other created beings is his consciousness, a concept which is difficult to define. When we reflect on our own consciousness we may postulate that it originates from an undifferentiated status of the psyche. When the mind begins to recognize sense data which originates outside of itself, consciousness makes a giant step. Perhaps consciousness includes the ability to receive data, the ability to process data, and the ability to distribute data. But there is in addition a sense which determines the ability to receive, process, and distribute. Consciousness looks for content and process within as well as outside. To Blake the ability to connect with God and humanity came through man's spiritual sensation with which he is born. Blake wrote about this additional ingredient which is present in the psyche; 

There is no natural religion [a], (E 1)

  "IV  None could have other than natural or organic thoughts if
he had none but organic perceptions"

Milton, Plate 1 (E 96)

"Come into my hand    
By your mild power; descending down the Nerves of my right arm
From out the Portals of my Brain, where by your ministry
The Eternal Great Humanity Divine. planted his Paradise,"

Annotations to Reynolds, (E 156) 

"Reynolds Thinks that Man Learns all that he Knows I say on
the Contrary That Man Brings All that he has or Can have Into the
World with him.  Man is Born Like a Garden ready Planted & Sown  
This World is too poor to produce one Seed"

... 

Reynolds wrote: "The mind is but a barren soil; a soil which is soon
exhausted, and will produce no crop," 
Blake wrote: "The Mind that could have produced this Sentence must have
been Pitiful    a Pitiable Imbecillity.  I always thought that the
Human Mind was the most Prolific of All Things & Inexhaustible 

Letters, To Trusler, (E 702)  

 "Why is the Bible more
Entertaining & Instructive than any other book.  Is it not
because they are addressed to the Imagination which is Spiritual
Sensation & but mediately to the Understanding or Reason" 

In his thesis Lee Hamilton explored Blake's poem Four Zoas from the perspective of Jungian psychology. His paper is deserving of careful study. We begin with his statement concerning the development of consciousness in Albion:

"The coming of consciousness to Albion signals the end of the unified state of unconsciousness and the beginning of differentiation, or the distinction of
opposites and differences. This rupturing of the unity of the unconscious state is necessary for psychic growth." (Page 33)

 Perception of the Infinite by Larry Clayton, posted 2007.

 

DIVINE HUMANITY

In her book Carl Jung: Wounded Healer of the Soul, Claire Dunne wrote:

"Some people question the Christianity of Carl Jung.

He divided his religious life from his professional life,

but in later years he became more open about revealing

his inner relationship to God . Although he never

spoke of his religion in the conventional religious

terminology that had been used by his family for

generations, he said enough to show that he had a

faith that was deep and personal. 

 

When John Freeman asked Jung in a 1959 BBC interview

if he believed in God, he answered, 'I don't need to

believe....I know,' thereby landing himself in

controversy again. 

 

'The divine Presence is more than anything else. There

is more than one way to the rediscovery of the 'genus

divinum' in us. This is the only thing that matters....I

wanted the proof of a living Spirit and I got it....Don't

ask me at what price....I don't want to prescribe a way

to other people, because I know that my way has been

prescribed to me by a hand far above my reach. I know

it all sounds so damned grand. I am sorry that it does,

but I don't mean it. It is grand and I am only trying to

be a decent tool and don't feel grand at all.'

Letter to FR.Victor White

This sounds like a man who knew the Spirit within.

Jesus didn't ask for more than that."

Link to CARL JUNG: WOUNDED HEALER OF THE SOUL by Claire Dunne. 

The statements that Claire Dunne made about Jung are applicable to Blake as well. He was not a church goer, his faith was not orthodox, he was an artist and poet, not a theologian or a minister. But to say that Blake's faith was 'deep and personal' would be an understatement.

To Blake and Jung an internal experience of the presence of the divine was the only evidence that they needed that God exists, creates and relates to humankind.  

Milton, Plate 13 [14], (E 107)

"The Bard replied. I am Inspired! I know it is Truth! for I Sing
Plate 14 [15]
According to the inspiration of the Poetic Genius
Who is the eternal all-protecting Divine Humanity
To whom be Glory & Power & Dominion Evermore Amen

Jerusalem, Plate 61, (E 212)

"And I heard the voice among
The Reapers Saying, Am I Jerusalem the lost Adulteress? or am I
Babylon come up to Jerusalem? And another voice answerd Saying   

Does the voice of my Lord call me again? am I pure thro his Mercy
And Pity. Am I become lovely as a Virgin in his sight who am
Indeed a Harlot drunken with the Sacrifice of Idols does he
Call her pure as he did in the days of her Infancy when She
Was cast out to the loathing of her person. The Chaldean took
Me from my Cradle. The Amalekite stole me away upon his Camels
Before I had ever beheld with love the Face of Jehovah; or known

That there was a God of Mercy: O Mercy O Divine Humanity!
O Forgiveness & Pity & Compassion! If I were Pure I should never
Have known Thee; If I were Unpolluted I should never have        
Glorified thy Holiness, or rejoiced in thy great Salvation.

Vision of Last Judgment, (E 561) 

" Around the Throne Heaven is opend & the Nature of
Eternal Things Displayd All Springing from the Divine Humanity
All beams from him [<Because> as he himself has said All
dwells in him] He is the Bread & the Wine he is the Water of
Life accordingly on Each Side of the opening Heaven appears an
Apostle that on the Right  
Represents Baptism that on the Left Represents the Lords Supper
All Life consists of these Two Throwing off Error <& Knaves from
our company> continually & recieving Truth <or Wise Men into our
Company> Continually. he who is out of the Church & opposes it is
no less an Agent of Religion than he who is in it. to be an Error
& to be Cast out is a part of Gods Design    No man can Embrace
True Art till he has Explord & Cast out False Art <such is the
Nature of Mortal Things> or he will be himself Cast out by those
who have Already Embraced True Art    Thus My Picture is a
History of Art & Science [& its] <the Foundation of
Society> Which is Humanity itself.  What are all the Gifts of the
Spirit but Mental Gifts whenever any Individual Rejects Error &
Embraces Truth a Last Judgment passes upon that Individual" 

Vision of Last Judgment, (E 562)

"Jesus is surrounded by Beams of Glory in which are
seen all around him Infants emanating from him   these represent
the Eternal Births of Intellect from the divine Humanity   A
Rainbow surrounds the throne & the Glory in which youthful
Nuptials recieve the infants in their hands" 

 
Original in British Museum
Illustration to Young's Night Thoughts
 
 

Milton, Plate 38 [43], (E 184)  

"building Heavens Twenty-seven-fold.
Swelld & bloated General Forms, repugnant to the Divine-
Humanity, who is the Only General and Universal Form         
To which all Lineaments tend & seek with love & sympathy
All broad & general principles belong to benevolence
Who protects minute particulars, every one in their own identity."