This is a crucial set of revisions, reflecting some ambiguity about the
relation
between "shadow" and "spectre".
Blake - Zoas
every vein & lacteal threading them among
Her woof of terror. Terrified & drinking tears of woe
Shuddring she wove--nine days & nights Sleepless her food was tears
Wondring she saw her woof begin to animate. & not
As Garments woven subservient to her hands but having a will
Of its own perverse & wayward Enion lovd & wept*
{written vertically up the right margin LFS}
Nine days she labourd at her work. & nine dark sleepless nights
But on the tenth bright trembling morn the Circle of Destiny Completet
Round rolld the Sea Englobing in a watry Globe self balancd*
{a light line appears through this line LFS} A Frowning Continent appeard Where Enion in the Desart
Terrified in her own Creation viewing her woven shadow
Sat in a sweet dread intoxication of false woven bliss self woven sorrow Repentance & Contrition*
{sequence of revisions, appearent in order presented here LFS} There is from Great Eternity a mild & pleasant rest
Namd Beulah a Soft Moony Universe feminine lovely
Pure mild & Gentle given in Mercy to those who sleep
Eternally. Created by the Lamb of God around
On all sides within & without the Universal Man
The Daughters of Beulah follow sleepers in all their Dreamst
Creating Spaces lest they fall into Eternal Death
The Circle of Destiny complete they gave to it a Space
And namd the Space Ulro & brooded over it in care & love*
{this entire passage is written vertically down the right margin and appears to have been first entered lightly (pencil? ) and then written over (ink? ) LFS}
They said The Spectre is in every man insane & most
Deformd Thro the three heavens descending in fury & fire
We meet it with our Songs & loving blandishments & give
To it a form of vegetation But this Spectre of Tharmas
Is Eternal Death What shall we do O God help pity & help
So spoke they & closd the Gate of Auricular power nerves the Tongue in trembling fear*
{Passage written down the right margin LFS}
What have I done! said Enion accursed wretch! What deed.
Is this a deed of Love I know what I have done. I know
Too late now to repent. Love is changd to deadly Hate [Fears]
A [All? ] life is blotted out & I alone remain possessd with Fears
I see the [remembrance] Shadow of the dead within my [eyes] Soul wandering*
{bracketed words blotted out, revised as indicated by italics LFS} In darkness & solitude forming Seas of [Trouble] Doubt & rocks of [sorrow] Repentance*
{bracketed words blotted LFS} Already are my Eyes reverted. all that I behold
Within my Soul has lost its splendor & a brooding Fear
Shadows me oer & drives me outward to a world of woe
So waild she trembling before her own Created Phantasm*
{These 10 lines circled and lightly struck out as a block, restored in Erdman. Internal revisions as noted LFS}
[Who animating times on times by the Force of her sweet song]
But standing on the Rocks her woven shadow glowing bright* {The line indicated here as erased (as it appears to be in the reproduction) Erdman notes is penciled in, as a replacement for the line indicated as struck out LFS}
PAGE 6 She drew the Spectre forth from Tharmas in her shining loom
Of Vegetation weeping in wayward infancy & sullen youth
Listning to her soft lamentations soon his tongue began
To Lisp out words & soon in masculine strength augmenting he*
{These two lines appear to be penciled in LFS} Reard up a form of gold & stood upon the glittering rock*
{At some point, this was the first line on this page, linked to follow the deleted line at the bottom of page 5, where the prompt word for the next page is "Reard".
This is a crucial set of revisions, reflecting some ambiguity about the relation between "shadow" and "spectre". LFS}
A shadowy human form winged & in his depths
The dazzlings as of gems shone clear, rapturous in joy fury
Glorying in his own eyes Exalted in terrific Pride
[ Searching for glory wishing that the heavens had eyes to See
And courting that the Earth would ope her Eyelids & behold
Such wondrous beauty repining in the midst of all his glory
That nought but Enion could be found to praise adore & love
Three days in self admiring raptures on the rocks he flamd
And three dark nights repind the solitude. but the third morn
Astonishd he found Enion hidden in the darksom Cave
She spoke What am I wherefore was I put forth on these rocks
Among the Clouds to tremble in the wind in solitude
Where is the voice that lately woke the desart Where the face
That wept among the clouds & where the voice that shall reply
No other living thing is here. The Sea the Earth. the Heaven
And Enion desolate where art though Tharmas O return
Three days she waild & three dark nights sitting among the Rocks
While the bright spectre hid himself among the ? backing clouds
Then sleep fell on her eyelids in a Chasm of the Valley
The Sixteenth morn the Spectre stood before her manifest ]
The Spectre thus spoke. [ Art thou not my slave & shalt thou dare
To smite me with thy tongue beware lest I sting also thee,]
Who art thou Diminutive husk & shell* [
Broke from my bonds I scorn my prison & yet I love]
If thou hast sinnd & art polluted know that I am pure*
And unpolluted & will bring to rigid strict account
All thy past deeds [So] hear what I tell thee! mark it well! remember! *
This world is [Mine] Thine in which thou dwellest that within thy soul*
That dark & dismal infinite where Thought roams up & down
Is [thine] Mine & there thou goest when with one Sting of my tongue
Envenomd thou rollst inwards to the place [of death & hell where] whence I emergd
She trembling answerd Wherefore was I born & what am I
[A sorrow & a fear a living torment & naked Victim]
I thought to weave a Covering [from his] for my Sins from wrath of Tharmas*
{This entire paragraph, internally revised, is marked for deleting, evidently, by two diagonal strike out lines. The page image should be consulted LFS}
PAGE 7 Examining the sins of Tharmas I have soon found my own
O slay me not thou art his Wrath embodied in Deceit
I thought Tharmas a Sinner & I murderd his Emanations *
His secret loves & Graces Ah me wretched What have I done *
For now I find that all those Emanations were my Childrens Souls *
And I have murderd them with Cruelty above atonement *
Those that remain have fled from my cruelty into the desarts
Singing with both to ownAnd thou the delusive tempter to these deeds sittest before me *
(illegible)But where is (illegible) Tharmas all thy soft delusive beauty cannot
Tempt me to murder honest lovemy own soul & wipe my tears & smile
In this thy world for ah! hownot mine tho dark I feel my world within *
The Spectre said Thou sinful Woman. was it thy desire
That I should hide thee with my power & delight thee with my beauty
And now there darknest in my presence, never from my sight
Shalt thou depart to weep in secret. In my jealous wings
I evermore will hold thee when though goest out or comest in
Tis thou hast darkend all My World O Woman lovely bare
Thus they contended? all the day, among the Caves of Tharmas
Twisting in fearful forms & hoisting howling harsh shrieking
Howling harsh shrieking, mingling their bodies pain in burning anguish
Mingling his horrible brightness with her tender limbs; then high she soar'd *
ShriekingAbove the ocean; a bright wonder that Beulah shudder'd atNature *
Half Woman & half Spectre, all his lovely changing colours mix *
With her fair crystal clearness; in her lips & cheeks his poisons rose *
In blushes like the morning, and his scaly armour softening *
A monster lovely in the heavens or wandering on the earth, *
With Spectre voice incessant waiting, in incessant thirst>
Beauty all blushing with desire mocking her fell despair>
Wandering desolate, a wonder abhorr'd by Gods & Men
PAGE 8 Till with fierce pain she brought forth on the rocks her sorrow & woe
Behold two [little Infants wept]upon the desolate wind. *
[Then forms of horror howled]
The first state weeping they began & helpless as a wave
Beaten along its sightless way growing enormous in its motion to
Its utmost goal, till strength from Enion like richest summer shining *
Raisd the [bright][fierce]boy & girl with glories from their heads out beaming *
Drawing forth drooping mothers pity drooping mothers sorrow *
But those in Great Eternity Met in the Council of God
As One Man hovering over Gilead & Hermon
He is the Good Shepherd He is the Lord & Master
To Create Man Morning by Morning to Give gifts at Noon day
Enion brooded, oer the rocks, the rough rocks vegetating groaning vegetate
Such power was given to the Solitary wanderer.
Her woof of terror. Terrified & drinking tears of woe
Shuddring she wove--nine days & nights Sleepless her food was tears
Wondring she saw her woof begin to animate. & not
As Garments woven subservient to her hands but having a will
Of its own perverse & wayward Enion lovd & wept*
{written vertically up the right margin LFS}
Nine days she labourd at her work. & nine dark sleepless nights
But on the tenth bright trembling morn the Circle of Destiny Completet
Round rolld the Sea Englobing in a watry Globe self balancd*
{a light line appears through this line LFS} A Frowning Continent appeard Where Enion in the Desart
Terrified in her own Creation viewing her woven shadow
Sat in a sweet dread intoxication of false woven bliss self woven sorrow Repentance & Contrition*
{sequence of revisions, appearent in order presented here LFS} There is from Great Eternity a mild & pleasant rest
Namd Beulah a Soft Moony Universe feminine lovely
Pure mild & Gentle given in Mercy to those who sleep
Eternally. Created by the Lamb of God around
On all sides within & without the Universal Man
The Daughters of Beulah follow sleepers in all their Dreamst
Creating Spaces lest they fall into Eternal Death
The Circle of Destiny complete they gave to it a Space
And namd the Space Ulro & brooded over it in care & love*
{this entire passage is written vertically down the right margin and appears to have been first entered lightly (pencil? ) and then written over (ink? ) LFS}
They said The Spectre is in every man insane & most
Deformd Thro the three heavens descending in fury & fire
We meet it with our Songs & loving blandishments & give
To it a form of vegetation But this Spectre of Tharmas
Is Eternal Death What shall we do O God help pity & help
So spoke they & closd the Gate of Auricular power nerves the Tongue in trembling fear*
{Passage written down the right margin LFS}
What have I done! said Enion accursed wretch! What deed.
Is this a deed of Love I know what I have done. I know
Too late now to repent. Love is changd to deadly Hate [Fears]
A [All? ] life is blotted out & I alone remain possessd with Fears
I see the [remembrance] Shadow of the dead within my [eyes] Soul wandering*
{bracketed words blotted out, revised as indicated by italics LFS} In darkness & solitude forming Seas of [Trouble] Doubt & rocks of [sorrow] Repentance*
{bracketed words blotted LFS} Already are my Eyes reverted. all that I behold
Within my Soul has lost its splendor & a brooding Fear
Shadows me oer & drives me outward to a world of woe
So waild she trembling before her own Created Phantasm*
{These 10 lines circled and lightly struck out as a block, restored in Erdman. Internal revisions as noted LFS}
[Who animating times on times by the Force of her sweet song]
But standing on the Rocks her woven shadow glowing bright* {The line indicated here as erased (as it appears to be in the reproduction) Erdman notes is penciled in, as a replacement for the line indicated as struck out LFS}
PAGE 6 She drew the Spectre forth from Tharmas in her shining loom
Of Vegetation weeping in wayward infancy & sullen youth
Listning to her soft lamentations soon his tongue began
To Lisp out words & soon in masculine strength augmenting he*
{These two lines appear to be penciled in LFS} Reard up a form of gold & stood upon the glittering rock*
{At some point, this was the first line on this page, linked to follow the deleted line at the bottom of page 5, where the prompt word for the next page is "Reard".
This is a crucial set of revisions, reflecting some ambiguity about the relation between "shadow" and "spectre". LFS}
A shadowy human form winged & in his depths
The dazzlings as of gems shone clear, rapturous in joy fury
Glorying in his own eyes Exalted in terrific Pride
[ Searching for glory wishing that the heavens had eyes to See
And courting that the Earth would ope her Eyelids & behold
Such wondrous beauty repining in the midst of all his glory
That nought but Enion could be found to praise adore & love
Three days in self admiring raptures on the rocks he flamd
And three dark nights repind the solitude. but the third morn
Astonishd he found Enion hidden in the darksom Cave
She spoke What am I wherefore was I put forth on these rocks
Among the Clouds to tremble in the wind in solitude
Where is the voice that lately woke the desart Where the face
That wept among the clouds & where the voice that shall reply
No other living thing is here. The Sea the Earth. the Heaven
And Enion desolate where art though Tharmas O return
Three days she waild & three dark nights sitting among the Rocks
While the bright spectre hid himself among the ? backing clouds
Then sleep fell on her eyelids in a Chasm of the Valley
The Sixteenth morn the Spectre stood before her manifest ]
The Spectre thus spoke. [ Art thou not my slave & shalt thou dare
To smite me with thy tongue beware lest I sting also thee,]
Who art thou Diminutive husk & shell* [
Broke from my bonds I scorn my prison & yet I love]
If thou hast sinnd & art polluted know that I am pure*
And unpolluted & will bring to rigid strict account
All thy past deeds [So] hear what I tell thee! mark it well! remember! *
This world is [Mine] Thine in which thou dwellest that within thy soul*
That dark & dismal infinite where Thought roams up & down
Is [thine] Mine & there thou goest when with one Sting of my tongue
Envenomd thou rollst inwards to the place [of death & hell where] whence I emergd
She trembling answerd Wherefore was I born & what am I
[A sorrow & a fear a living torment & naked Victim]
I thought to weave a Covering [from his] for my Sins from wrath of Tharmas*
{This entire paragraph, internally revised, is marked for deleting, evidently, by two diagonal strike out lines. The page image should be consulted LFS}
PAGE 7 Examining the sins of Tharmas I have soon found my own
O slay me not thou art his Wrath embodied in Deceit
I thought Tharmas a Sinner & I murderd his Emanations *
His secret loves & Graces Ah me wretched What have I done *
For now I find that all those Emanations were my Childrens Souls *
And I have murderd them with Cruelty above atonement *
Those that remain have fled from my cruelty into the desarts
Singing with both to ownAnd thou the delusive tempter to these deeds sittest before me *
(illegible)But where is (illegible) Tharmas all thy soft delusive beauty cannot
Tempt me to murder honest lovemy own soul & wipe my tears & smile
In this thy world for ah! hownot mine tho dark I feel my world within *
The Spectre said Thou sinful Woman. was it thy desire
That I should hide thee with my power & delight thee with my beauty
And now there darknest in my presence, never from my sight
Shalt thou depart to weep in secret. In my jealous wings
I evermore will hold thee when though goest out or comest in
Tis thou hast darkend all My World O Woman lovely bare
Thus they contended? all the day, among the Caves of Tharmas
Twisting in fearful forms & hoisting howling harsh shrieking
Howling harsh shrieking, mingling their bodies pain in burning anguish
Mingling his horrible brightness with her tender limbs; then high she soar'd *
ShriekingAbove the ocean; a bright wonder that Beulah shudder'd atNature *
Half Woman & half Spectre, all his lovely changing colours mix *
With her fair crystal clearness; in her lips & cheeks his poisons rose *
In blushes like the morning, and his scaly armour softening *
A monster lovely in the heavens or wandering on the earth, *
With Spectre voice incessant waiting, in incessant thirst>
Beauty all blushing with desire mocking her fell despair>
Wandering desolate, a wonder abhorr'd by Gods & Men
PAGE 8 Till with fierce pain she brought forth on the rocks her sorrow & woe
Behold two [little Infants wept]upon the desolate wind. *
[Then forms of horror howled]
The first state weeping they began & helpless as a wave
Beaten along its sightless way growing enormous in its motion to
Its utmost goal, till strength from Enion like richest summer shining *
Raisd the [bright][fierce]boy & girl with glories from their heads out beaming *
Drawing forth drooping mothers pity drooping mothers sorrow *
But those in Great Eternity Met in the Council of God
As One Man hovering over Gilead & Hermon
He is the Good Shepherd He is the Lord & Master
To Create Man Morning by Morning to Give gifts at Noon day
Enion brooded, oer the rocks, the rough rocks vegetating groaning vegetate
Such power was given to the Solitary wanderer.
