“The Mundane Shell, is a vast Concave Earth: an immense”
Hardend shadow of all things upon our Vegetated Earth
“Enlarg’d into dimension & deform’d into indefinite space,”
In Twenty-seven Heavens and all their Hells; with Chaos
And Ancient Night; & Purgatory. It is a cavernous Earth
“Of labyrinthine intricacy, twenty-seven folds of opakeness”
And finishes where the lark mounts; here Milton journeyed
In that Region calld Midian among the Rocks of Horeb
“For travellers from Eternity. pass outward to Satans seat,”
But travellers to Eternity. pass inward to Golgonooza.
“Los the Vehicular terror beheld him, & divine Enitharmon”
“Call’d all her daughters, Saying. Surely to unloose my bond”
Is this Man come! Satan shall be unloosd upon Albion
Los heard in terror Enitharmons words: in fibrous strength
His limbs shot forth like roots of trees against the forward path
“Of Miltons jouney. Urizen beheld the immortal Man,”
“And Tharmas Demon of the Waters, & Orc, who is Luvah”
“The Shadowy Female seeing Milton, howl’d in her lamentation”
Over the Deeps. outstretching her Twenty seven Heavens over Albion
And thus the Shadowy Female howls in articulate howlings
I will lament over Milton in the lamentations of the afflicted
My Garments shall be woven of sighs & heart broken lamentations
The misery of unhappy Families shall be drawn out into its border
Wrought with the needle with dire sufferings poverty pain & woe
Along the rocky Island & thence throughout the whole Earth
There shall be the sick Father & his starving Family! there
The Prisoner in the stone Dungeon & the Slave at the Mill
I will have Writings written all over it in Human Words
That every Infant that is born upon the Earth shall read
And get by rote as a hard task of a life of sixty years
“I will have Kings inwoven upon it, & Councellors & Mighty Men”
The Famine shall clasp it together with buckles & Clasps
And the Pestilence shall be its fringe & the War its girdle
To divide into Rahab & Tirzah that Milton may come to our tents
For I will put on the Human Form & take the Image of God
Even Pity & Humanity but my Clothing shall be Cruelty
And I will put on Holiness as a breastplate & as a helmet
And all my ornaments shall be of the gold of broken hearts
And the precious stones of anxiety & care & desperation & death
And repentance for sin & sorrow & punishment & fear
To defend me from thy terrors O Orc! my only beloved!
Orc answerd. Take not the Human Form O loveliest. Take not
Terror upon thee! Behold how I am & tremble lest thou also
Consume in my Consummation; but thou maist take a Form
“Female & lovely, that cannot consume in Mans consmmation”
Wherefore dost thou Create & Weave this Satan for a Covering[?]
“When thou attemptest to put on the Human Form, my wrath”
Burns to the top of heaven against thee in Jealousy & Fear.
“Then I rend thee asunder, then I howl over thy clay & ashes”
When wilt thou put on the Female Form as in times of old
With a Garment of Pity & Compassion like the Garment of God
His garments are long sufferings for the Children of Men
Jerusalem is his Garment & not thy Covering Cherub O lovely
Shadow of my delight who wanderest seeking for the prey.
So spoke Orc when Oothoon & Leutha hoverd over his Couch
Of fire in interchange of Beauty & Perfection in the darkness
Opening interiorly into Jerusalem & Babylon shining glorious
In the Shadowy Females bosom. Jealous her darkness grew:
Howlings filld all the desolate places in accusations of Sin
In Female beauty shining in the unformd void & Orc in vain
“Stretch’d out his hands of fire, & wooed: they triumph in his pain”
Thus darkend the Shadowy Female tenfold & Orc tenfold
Glowd on his rocky Couch against the darkness: loud thunders
Told of the enormous conflict[.] Earthquake beneath: around;
“Rent the Immortal Females, limb from limb & joint from joint”
And moved the fast foundations of the Earth to wake the Dead
“Urizen emerged from his Rocky Form & from his Snows,”
And he also darkend his brows: freezing dark rocks between
The footsteps. and infixing deep the feet in marble beds:
“That Milton labourd with his journey, & his feet bled sore”
“Upon the clay now chang’d to marble; also Urizen rose,”
And met him on the shores of Arnon; & by the streams of the brooks
“Silent they met, and silent strove among the streams, of Arnon”
“Even to Mahanaim, when with cold hand Urizen stoop’d down”
And took up water from the river Jordan: pouring on
To Miltons brain the icy fluid from his broad cold palm.
“But Milton took of the red clay of Succoth, moulding it with care”
Between his palms: and filling up the furrows of many years
“Beginning at the feet of Urizen, and on the bones”
“Creating new flesh on the Demon cold, and building him,”
As with new clay a Human form in the Valley of Beth Peor.
Four Universes round the Mundane Egg remain Chaotic
“One to the North, named Urthona: One to the South, named Urizen:”
“One to the East, named Luvah: One to the West, named Tharmas”
They are the Four Zoa’s that stood around the Throne Divine!
But when Luvah assum’d the World of Urizen to the South:
“And Albion was slain upon his mountains, & in his tent;”
“All fell towards the Center in dire ruin, sinking down.”
And in the South remains a burning fire; in the East a void.
“In the West, a world of raging waters; in the North a solid,”
“Unfathomable! without end. But in the midst of these,”
Is built eternally the Universe of Los and Enitharmon:
“Towards which Milton went, but Urizen oppos’d his path.”
The Man and Demon strove many periods. Rahab beheld
Standing on Carmel; Rahab and Tirzah trembled to behold
“The enormous strife. one giving life, the other giving death”
To his adversary. and they sent forth all their sons & daughters
“In all their beauty to entice Milton across the river,”
The Twofold form Hermaphroditic: and the Double-sexed;
“The Female-male & the Male-female, self-dividing stood”
“Before him in their beauty, & in cruelties of holiness!”
“Shining in darkness, glorious upon the deeps of Entuthon.”
Saying. Come thou to Ephraim! behold the Kings of Canaan!
“The beautiful Amalekites, behold the fires of youth”
Bound with the Chain of jealousy by Los & Enitharmon;
The banks of Cam: cold learnings streams: Londons dark-frowning towers;
Lament upon the winds of Europe in Rephaims Vale.
“Because Ahania rent apart into a desolate night,”
Laments! & Enion wanders like a weeping inarticulate voice
And Vala labours for her bread & water among the Furnaces
Therefore bright Tirzah triumphs: putting on all beauty.
“And all perfection, in her cruel sports among the Victims,”
Come bring with thee Jerusalem with songs on the Grecian Lyre!
“In Natural Religion! in experiments on Men,”
Let her be Offerd up to Holiness! Tirzah numbers her;
She numbers with her fingers every fibre ere it grow;
Where is the Lamb of God? where is the promise of his coming?
“Her shadowy Sisters form the bones, even the bones of Horeb:”
Around the marrow! and the orbed scull around the brain!
His Images are born for War! for Sacrifice to Tirzah!
To Natural Religion! to Tirzah the Daughter of Rahab the Holy!
“She ties the knot of nervous fibres, into a white brain!”
“She ties the knot of bloody veins, into a red hot heart!”
“Within her bosom Albion lies embalmd, never to awake”
“Hand is become a rock! Sinai & Horeb, is Hyle & Coban: t228”
Scofield is bound in iron armour before Reubens Gate!
“She ties the knot of milky seed into two lovely Heavens,”
Two yet but one: each in the other sweet reflected! these
“Are our Three Heavens beneath the shades of Beulah, land of rest!”
Come then to Ephraim & Manasseh O beloved-one!
Come to my ivory palaces O beloved of thy mother!
And let us bind thee in the bands of War & be thou King
Of Canaan and reign in Hazor where the Twelve Tribes meet.
So spoke they as in one voice! Silent Milton stood before
The darkend Urizen; as the sculptor silent stands before
His forming image; he walks round it patient labouring.
“Thus Milton stood forming bright Urizen, while his Mortal part”
“Sat frozen in the rock of Horeb: and his Redeemed portion,”
Thus form’d the Clay of Urizen; but within that portion
His real Human walkd above in power and majesty
Tho darkend; and the Seven Angels of the Presence attended him.
“O how can I with my gross tongue that cleaveth to the dust,”
“Tell of the Four-fold Man, in starry numbers fitly orderd”
Or how can I with my cold hand of clay! But thou O Lord
“Do with me as thou wilt! for I am nothing, and vanity.”
“If thou chuse to elect a worm, it shall remove the mountains.”
For that portion namd the Elect: the Spectrous body of Milton:
“Redounding from my left foot into Los’s Mundane space,”
Brooded over his Body in Horeb against the Resurrection
Preparing it for the Great Consummation; red the Cherub on Sinai
Glow’d; but in terrors folded round his clouds of blood.
Now Albions sleeping Humanity began to turn upon his Couch;
Feeling the electric flame of Miltons awful precipitate descent.
“Seest thou the little winged fly, smaller than a grain of sand?”
“It has a heart like thee; a brain open to heaven & hell,”
“Withinside wondrous & expansive; its gates are not clos’d,”
I hope thine are not: hence it clothes itself in rich array;
Hence thou art cloth’d with human beauty O thou mortal man.
Seek not thy heavenly father then beyond the skies:
There Chaos dwells & ancient Night & Og & Anak old:
“For every human heart has gates of brass & bars of adamant,”
Which few dare unbar because dread Og & Anak guard the gates
Terrific! and each mortal brain is walld and moated round
Within: and Og & Anak watch here; here is the Seat
Of Satan in its Webs; for in brain and heart and loins
Gates open behind Satans Seat to the City of Golgonooza
“Which is the spiritual fourfold London, in the loins of Albion”
“Thus Milton fell thro Albions heart, travlling outside of Humanity”
Beyond the Stars in Chaos in Caverns of the Mundane Shell.
But many of the Eternals rose up from eternal tables
“Drunk with the Spirit, burning round the Couch of death they stood”
“Looking down into Beulah: wrathful, fill’d with rage!”
They rend the heavens round the Watchers in a fiery circle:
And round the Shadowy Eighth: the Eight close up the Couch
“Into a tabernacle, and flee with cries down to the Deeps:”
“Where Los opens his three wide gates, surrounded by raging fires!”
They soon find their own place & join the Watchers of the Ulro.
Los saw them and a cold pale horror coverd o’er his limbs
Pondering he knew that Rintrah & Palamabron might depart:
Even as Reuben & as Gad; gave up himself to tears.
He sat down on his anvil-stock; and leand upon the trough.
“Looking into the black water, mingling it with tears.”
At last when desperation almost tore his heart in twain
“He recollected an old Prophecy in Eden recorded,”
And often sung to the loud harp at the immortal feasts
That Milton of the Land of Albion should up ascend
Forwards from Ulro from the Vale of Felpham; and set free
“Orc from his Chain of Jealousy, he started at the thought”
And down descended into Udan-Adan; it was night:
And Satan sat sleeping upon his Couch in Udan-Adan:
“His Spectre slept, his Shadow woke; when one sleeps th’other wakes”
But Milton entering my Foot; I saw in the nether
“Regions of the Imagination; also all men on Earth,”
“And all in Heaven, saw in the nether regions of the Imagination”
“In Ulro beneath Beulah, the vast breach of Miltons descent.”
“But I knew not that it was Milton, for man cannot know”
What passes in his members till periods of Space & Time
Reveal the secrets of Eternity: for more extensive
“Than any other earthly things, are Mans earthly lineaments.”
“And all this Vegetable World appeard on my left Foot,”
As a bright sandal formd immortal of precious stones & gold:
I stooped down & bound it on to walk forward thro’ Eternity.
“There is in Eden a sweet River, of milk & liquid pearl,”
Namd Ololon; on whose mild banks dwelt those who Milton drove
Down into Ulro: and they wept in long resounding song
“For seven days of eternity, and the rivers living banks”
“The mountains waild! & every plant that grew, in solemn sighs lamented.”
When Luvahs bulls each morning drag the sulphur Sun out of the Deep
Harnessd with starry harness black & shining kept by black slaves
That work all night at the starry harness. Strong and vigorous
They drag the unwilling Orb: at this time all the Family
“Of Eden heard the lamentation, and Providence began.”
But when the clarions of day sounded they drownd the lamentations
And when night came all was silent in Ololon: & all refusd to lament
In the still night fearing lest they should others molest.
“Seven mornings Los heard them, as the poor bird within the shell”
Hears its impatient parent bird; and Enitharmon heard them:
“But saw them not, for the blue Mundane Shell inclosd them in.”
And they lamented that they had in wrath & fury & fire
Driven Milton into the Ulro; for now they knew too late
“That it was Milton the Awakener: they had not heard the Bard,”
Whose song calld Milton to the attempt; and Los heard these laments.
He heard them call in prayer all the Divine Family;
And he beheld the Cloud of Milton stretching over Europe.
But all the Family Divine collected as Four Suns
“In the Four Points of heaven East, West & North & South”
Enlarging and enlarging till their Disks approachd each other;
And when they touch’d closed together Southward in One Sun
“Over Ololon: and as One Man, who weeps over his brother,”
“In a dark tomb, so all the Family Divine. wept over Ololon.”
“Saying, Milton goes to Eternal Death! so saying, they groan’d in spirit”
And were troubled! and again the Divine Family groaned in spirit!
“And Ololon said, Let us descend also, and let us give”
Ourselves to death in Ulro among the Transgressors.
Is Virtue a Punisher? O no! how is this wondrous thing?
“This World beneath, unseen before: this refuge from the wars”
Of Great Eternity! unnatural refuge! unknown by us till now!
Or are these the pangs of repentance? let us enter into them
Then the Divine Family said. Six Thousand Years are now
Accomplish’d in this World of Sorrow; Miltons Angel knew
The Universal Dictate; and you also feel this Dictate.
“And now you know this World of Sorrow, and feel Pity. Obey”
“The Dictate! Watch over this World, and with your brooding wings,”
Renew it to Eternal Life: Lo! I am with you alway
But you cannot renew Milton he goes to Eternal Death
So spake the Family Divine as One Man even Jesus
Uniting in One with Ololon & the appearance of One Man
Jesus the Saviour appeard coming in the Clouds of Ololon!
Tho driven away with the Seven Starry Ones into the Ulro
Yet the Divine Vision remains Every-where For-ever. Amen.
And Ololon lamented for Milton with a great lamentation.
“While Los heard indistinct in fear, what time I bound my sandals”
“On; to walk forward thro’ Eternity, Los descended to me:”
And Los behind me stood; a terrible flaming Sun: just close
“Behind my back; I turned round in terror, and behold.”
Los stood in that fierce glowing fire; & he also stoop’d down
And bound my sandals on in Udan-Adan; trembling I stood
“Exceedingly with fear & terror, standing in the Vale”
Of Lambeth: but he kissed me and wishd me health.
And I became One Man with him arising in my strength:
Twas too late now to recede. Los had enterd into my soul:
His terrors now posses’d me whole! I arose in fury & strength.
I am that Shadowy Prophet who Six Thousand Years ago
Fell from my station in the Eternal bosom. Six Thousand Years
Are finishd. I return! both Time & Space obey my will.
I in Six Thousand Years walk up and down: for not one Moment
“Of Time is lost, nor one Event of Space unpermanent”
But all remain: every fabric of Six Thousand Years
Remains permanent: tho’ on the Earth where Satan
“Fell, and was cut off all things vanish & are seen no more”
“They vanish not from me & mine, we guard them first & last”
The generations of men run on in the tide of Time
But leave their destind lineaments permanent for ever & ever.