Wednesday, July 11, 2012

plate 95

Plate 95
Yale Center for British Art

PLATE 95
Her [Vala’s] voice pierc'd Albions clay cold ear. he moved upon the Rock
The Breath Divine went forth upon the morning hills, Albion mov'd
Upon the Rock, he opend his eyelids in pain; in pain he mov'd
His stony members, he saw England. Ah! shall the Dead live again

The Breath Divine went forth over the morning hills Albion rose
In anger: the wrath of God breaking bright flaming on all sides
    around
His awful limbs: into the Heavens he walked clothed in flames
Loud thundring, with broad flashes of flaming lightning & pillars
Of fire, speaking the Words of Eternity in Human Forms, in
    direful
Revolutions of Action & Passion, thro the Four Elements on all
    sides
Surrounding his awful Members. Thou seest the Sun in heavy clouds
Struggling to rise above the Mountains. in his burning hand
He takes his Bow, then chooses out his arrows of flaming gold
Murmuring the Bowstring breathes with ardor! clouds roll around
    the
Horns of the wide Bow, loud sounding winds sport on the mountain
    brows
Compelling Urizen to his Furrow; & Tharmas to his Sheepfold;
And Luvah to his Loom: Urthona he beheld mighty labouring at
His Anvil, in the Great Spectre Los unwearied labouring & weeping
Therefore the Sons of Eden praise Urthonas Spectre in songs
Because he  kept the Divine Vision in time of trouble.

As the Sun & Moon lead forward the Visions of Heaven & Earth
England who is Brittannia enterd Albions bosom rejoicing,
Rejoicing in his indignation! adoring his wrathful rebuke.
She who adores not your frowns will only loathe your smiles
(Erdman 254-5)

Notes:
Here we have the awakening of Albion. Like a new born baby he’s bawling.
But it’s ‘The Breath Divine’, bright flaming on all sides 

In the last post we read “Time was Finished”; this one pursues that condition.

The picture presents a strong, virale man: he appears to be Los springing
up from his furnace, or is it Albion and Everyman. He’s naked and “clothed in flames”.
(Erdman Illuminated 374)

Albion is speaking, perhaps words of praise as he enters the kingdom.

Albion spoke the Words of Eternity:

He invites us to see the Sun rising above the mountains....
and lists the appropriate Eternal activity of Urizen, Tharmas, and Urthona
Blake put a flower in the lower right  corner because Los had kept’the Divine Vision in
time of trouble’ (from PLATE 44 [30])

1 comment:

ellie Clayton said...

Albion is leaving behind his dead body still lying on the rock. He rises as a spiritual body shedding his grave clothes. Notice the head and feet of the body which remains.

1Cor.15
[44] It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.