Jerusalem. The Emanation of the Giant Albion/Plate 10



Into the Furnaces & into the valleys of the Anvils of Death And into the mountains of the Anvils & of the heavy Hammers Till he should bring the Sons & Daughters of Jerusalem to be The Sons & Daughters of Los that he might protect them from Albions dread Spectres; storming, loud, thunderous & mighty The Bellows & the Hammers move compell'd by Los's hand.

And this is the manner of the Sons of Albion in their strength They take the Two Contraries which are calld Qualities, with which Every Substance is clothed, they name them Good & Evil From them they make an Abstract, which is a Negation Not only of the Substance from which it is derived A murderer of its own Body: but also a murderer Of every Divine Member: it is the Reasoning Power An Abstract objecting power, that Negatives every thing This is the Spectre of Man: the Holy Reasoning Power And in its Holiness is closed the Abomination of Desolation

Therefore Los stands in London building Golgonooza — Compelling his Spectre to labours mighty; trembling in fear The Spectre weeps, but Los unmovd by tears or threats remains

I must Create a System, or be enslav'd by another Mans I will not Reason & Compare: my business is to Create

So Los, in fury & strength: in indignation & burning wrath Shuddring the Spectre howls. his howlings terrify the night He stamps around the Anvil, beating blows of stern despair He curses Heaven & Earth, Day & Night & Sun & Moon He curses Forest Spring & River, Desart & sandy Waste Cities & Nations, Families & Peoples, Tongues & Laws Driven to desperation by Los's terrors & threatning fears Los cries, Obey my voice & never deviate from my will And I will be merciful to thee: be thou invisible to all To whom I make thee invisible, but chief to my own Children O Spectre of Urthona: Reason not against their dear approach Nor them obstruct with thy temptations of doubt & despair O Shame O strong & mighty Shame I break thy brazen fetters If thou refuse, thy present torments will seem southern breezes To what thou shalt endure if thou obey not my great will.

The Spectre answer'd. Art thou not ashamd of those thy Sins That thou callest thy Children? lo the Law of God commands That they be offered upon his Altar: O cruelty & torment For thine are also mine! I have kept silent hitherto, Concerning my chief delight: but thou hast broken silence Now I will speak my mind! Where is my lovely Enitharmon O thou my enemy, where is my Great Sin? She is also thine I said: Now is my grief at worst: incapable of being Surpassed: but every moment it accumulates more & more It continues accumulating to eternity! the joys of God advance For he is Righteous: he is not a Being of Pity & Compassion t	He cannot feel Distress: he feeds on Sacrifice & Offering: Delighting in cries & tears & clothed in Holiness & solitude But my griefs advance also, for ever & ever without end O that I could cease to be! Despair! I am Despair Created to be the great example of horror & agony: also my Prayer is vain I called for compassion: compassion mockd Mercy & pity threw the grave stone over me & with lead And iron, bound it over me for ever: Life lives on my Consuming: & the Almighty hath made me his Contrary To be all evil, all reversed & for ever dead: knowing And seeing life, yet living not; how can I then behold And not tremble; how can I be beheld & not abhorrd

So spoke the Spectre shuddring, & dark tears ran down his shadowy face Which Los wiped off, but comfort none could give! or beam of hope Yet ceasd he not from labouring at the roarings of his Forge With iron & brass Building Golgonooza in great contendings Till his Sons & Daughters came forth from the Furnaces At the sublime Labours for Los. compelld the invisible Spectre