BLAKE & STRINGS 2

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Book of Urizen

Plate 24

To Blake the symbol of the Bow and Arrows had multiple applications. He saw that the image well represented his own experience. The poem which he composed while walking to see friends in Lavant while he was living at Felpham, made use explicitly of both bowstring and arrows. He represented his mind by the bows and his thoughts as the arrows. Apparently he had been struggling to determine how to balance claims that various friends and family members placed on him. After reviewing a long list of complaints he received the insight that his individual experience fit into the pattern which applies to every individual. The mind is capable of discerning four different ways of responding the data which it receives. Every experience has the potential for becoming visionary if one is not satisfied with single vision, duality, or ordinary interpretation there is another option; he may invite the imagination to allow him entry into a visionary state.

Blake's bows and arrows

Letters, To Butts, (E 720)
     "With happiness stretchd across the hills
     In a cloud that dewy sweetness distills
     With a blue sky spread over with wings
     And a mild sun that mounts & sings
     With trees & fields full of Fairy elves 5
     And little devils who fight for themselves
     Remembring the Verses that Hayley sung

     When my heart knockd against the root of my tongue
     With Angels planted in Hawthorn bowers
     And God himself in the passing hours
     With Silver Angels across my way
     And Golden Demons that none can stay
     With my Father hovering upon the wind
     And my Brother Robert just behind
     And my Brother John the evil one
     In a black cloud making his mone
     Tho dead they appear upon my path
     Notwithstanding my terrible wrath
     They beg they intreat they drop their tears
     Filld full of hopes filld full of fears
     With a thousand Angels upon the Wind
     Pouring disconsolate from behind
     To drive them off & before my way
     A frowning Thistle implores my stay
     What to others a trifle appears
     Fills me full of smiles or tears
     For double the vision my Eyes do see
     And a double vision is always with me
     With my inward Eye 'tis an old Man grey
     With my outward a Thistle across my way
     "If thou goest back the thistle said
     Thou art to endless woe betrayd
     For here does Theotormon lower
     And here is Enitharmons bower
     And Los the terrible thus hath sworn
     Because thou backward dost return
     Poverty Envy old age & fear
     Shall bring thy Wife upon a bier
     And Butts shall give what Fuseli gave
     A dark black Rock & a gloomy Cave."

     I struck the Thistle with my foot
     And broke him up from his delving root
     "Must the duties of life each other cross"
     "Must every joy be dung & dross"
     "Must my dear Butts feel cold neglect"
     "Because I give Hayley his due respect'
     "Must Flaxman look upon me as wild"
     "And all my friends be with doubts beguild'
     "Must my Wife live in my Sisters bane"
     "Or my sister survive on my Loves pain'
     "The curses of Los the terrible shade"
     "And his dismal terrors make me afraid"

     So I spoke & struck in my wrath
     The old man weltering upon my path
     Then Los appeard in all his power
     In the Sun he appeard descending before
     My face in fierce flames in my double sight
     Twas outward a Sun: inward Los in his might

     "My hands are labourd day & night"
     "And Ease comes never in my sight"
     "My Wife has no indulgence given"
     "Except what comes to her from heaven"
     "We eat little we drink less"
     "This Earth breeds not our happiness"
     "Another Sun feeds our lifes streams"
     "We are not warmed with thy beams"
     "Thou measurest not the Time to me"
     "Nor yet the Space that I do see"
     "My Mind is not with thy light arrayd"
     "Thy terrors shall not make me afraid"

     When I had my Defiance given
     The Sun stood trembling in heaven
     The Moon that glowd remote below
     Became leprous & white as snow
     And every Soul of men on the Earth
     Felt affliction & sorrow & sickness & dearth
     Los flamd in my path & the Sun was hot
     With the bows of my Mind & the Arrows of Thought
     My bowstring fierce with Ardour breathes
     My arrows glow in their golden sheaves
     My brothers & father march before
     The heavens drop with human gore

     Now I a fourfold vision see
     And a fourfold vision is given to me
     Tis fourfold in my supreme delight
     And three fold in soft Beulahs night
     And twofold Always.  May God us keep
     From Single vision & Newtons sleep"