plate 94

 Plate 94

PLATE 94
Albion cold lays on his Rock: storms & snows beat round him.
Beneath the Furnaces & the starry Wheels & the Immortal Tomb
Howling winds cover him: roaring seas dash furious against him
In the deep darkness broad lightnings glare long thunders roll

The weeds of Death inwrap his hands & feet blown incessant
And washd incessant by the for-ever restless sea-waves foaming
    abroad
Upon the white Rock. England a Female Shadow as deadly damps
Of the Mines of Cornwall & Derbyshire lays upon his bosom heavy
Moved by the wind in volumes of thick cloud returning folding
    round
His loins & bosom unremovable by swelling storms & loud rending
Of enraged thunders. Around them the Starry Wheels of their Giant
    Sons
Revolve: & over them the Furnaces of Los & the Immortal Tomb
    around
Erin sitting in the Tomb, to watch them unceasing night and day
And the Body of Albion was closed apart from all Nations.

Over them the famishd Eagle screams on boney Wings and around
Them howls the Wolf of famine deep heaves the Ocean black
    thundering
Around the wormy Garments of Albion: then pausing in deathlike
    silence

Time was Finished! The Breath Divine Breathed over Albion.
Beneath the Furnaces & starry Wheels and in the Immortal Tomb
And England who is Brittannia awoke from Death on Albions bosom
She awoke pale & cold she fainted seven times on the Body of
    Albion

O pitious Sleep O pitious Dream! O God O God awake I have slain
In Dreams of Chastity & Moral Law I have Murdered Albion! Ah!
In Stone-henge & on London Stone & in the Oak Groves of Malden
I have Slain him in my Sleep with the Knife of the Druid O
    England
O all ye Nations of the Earth behold ye the Jealous Wife
The Eagle & the Wolf & Monkey & Owl & the King & Priest were
    there

(Erdman 254)      

Notes:

Albion cold lays on his Rock: According to Blake’s myth Albion (England, Everyman) rested in Beulah until he fell asleep and dropped to Ulro, cold asleep on his Rock, beside the roaring seas of Time and Space, in a stormy night.

Continuing with the text a Female Shadow:

That of course was Vala, who at other places is said to have seduced Albion, another way of saying the same thing.  Damon  (page 92) refers to her as Brittannia, as does Blake a few lines farther down.


Cornwall is the western most part of England, and some of it's mines are said to be under the water.


The famishd Eagle screams   and the  Wolf of famine  howls  over the scene of the dead Albion.      

Time was Finished! The Breath Divine Breathed over Albion.  Night Nine of The Four Zoas has a colorful portrait of this magic moment when Eternal Life begins, replacing  Mortal Death, although he was a much younger man when he wrote it.    Here's a sample:

Let the slave grinding at the mill run out into the field
Let him look up into the heavens & laugh in the bright air
Let the inchaind soul shut up in darkness & in sighing           
Whose face has never seen a smile in thirty weary years
Rise & look out his chains are loose his dungeon doors are open
And let his wife & children return from the opressors scourge
They look behind at every step & believe it is a dream
Are these the Slaves that groand along the streets of Mystery    
Where are your bonds & task masters are these the prisoners

Where are your chains where are your tears why do you look around
If you are thirsty there is the river go bathe your parched limbs
The good of all the Land is before you for Mystery is no more

Then All the Slaves from every Earth in the wide Universe        
Sing a New Song drowning confusion in its happy notes
(Erdman 402)

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The picture above portrays the three accusers spoken of in Plate 93.

In the bottom picture a mourning woman tried to bring to life the dead man (Albion); as Jerusalem she will succeed.