Page:The prophetic books of William Blake, Milton.djvu/52

 They labour incessant, with many tears & afflictions,

Creating the beautiful House for the piteous sufferer.

Others, Cabinets richly fabricate of gold & ivory,

For Doubts & fears unform'd & wretched & melancholy.

The little weeping Spectre stands on the threshold of Death

Eternal: and sometimes two Spectres like lamps quivering

And often malignant they combat (heart-breaking sorrowful & piteous).

Antamon takes them into his beautiful flexible hands.

As the Sower takes the seed or as the Artist his clay

Or fine wax, to mould artful a model for golden ornaments,

The soft hands of Antamon draw the indelible Line:

Form immortal with golden pen; such as the Spectre admiring

Puts on the sweet form; then smiles Antamon bright thro' his windows.

The Daughters of beauty look up from their Loom & prepare

The integument soft for its clothing with joy & delight.

But Theotormon & Sotha stand in the Gate of Luban anxious:

Their numbers are seven million & seven thousand & seven hundred:

They contend with the weak Spectres, they fabricate soothing forms.

The Spectre refuses, he seeks cruelty: they create the crested Cock:

Terrified the Spectre screams & rushes in fear into their Net

Of kindness & compassion & is born a weeping terror.

Or they create the Lion & Tyger in compassionate thunderings:

Howling the Spectres flee: they take refuge in Human lineaments.

The Sons of Ozoth within the Optic Nerve stand fiery glowing:

And the number of his Sons is eight millions & eight.

They give delights to the man unknown; artificial riches

They give to scorn, & their possessors to trouble & sorrow & care,

Shutting the sun & moon & stars, & trees, & clouds, & waters,

And hills out from the Optic Nerve & hardening it into a bone

Opake, and like the black pebble on the enraged beach,

While the poor indigent is like the diamond which tho' cloth'd

In ragged covering in the mine, is open all within

And in his hallow'd center holds the heavens of bright eternity.

Ozoth here builds walls of rocks against the surging sea,

And timbers crampt with iron cramps bar in the joys of life

From fell destruction in the Spectrous cunning or rage. He Creates

The speckled Newt, the Spider & Beetle, the Rat & Mouse,

The Badger & Fox: they worship before his feet in trembling fear.

But others of the Sons of Los build Moments & Minutes & Hours

And Days & Months & Years & Ages & Periods: wondrous buildings 28