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Creator:
Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827
Title:
"But when they saw Albion fall'n..." (Plate 20)
Part Of:

Collective Title: Jerusalem: The Emanation of The Giant Albion, Copy E

Date:
1804 to 1820
Materials & Techniques:
Relief etching printed in orange ink, with watercolor and pen and black ink on moderately thick, smooth, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 13 1/2 x 10 3/8 inches (34.3 x 26.4 cm), Plate: 8 7/8 x 6 3/8 inches (22.6 x 16.2 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Inscribed in orange ink, upper right: "20"

Lettered inside image: "But when they saw Albion fall'n, upon mild Lambeth's vale: | Astonish'd, Terrified, they hover'd over his Giant limbs. | Then thus Jerusalem spoke, while Vala wove the veil of tears: | Weeping in pleadings of Love, in the web of despair. | Wherefore hast thou shut me into the winter of human life, | And clos'd up the sweet regions of youth and virgin innocence, | Where we live, forgetting error, not pondering on evil, | Among my lambs & brooks of water, among my warbling birds: | Where we delight in innocence before the face of the Lamb, | Going in and out before him in his love and sweet affection. | Vala replied weeping & trembling, hiding in her veil. | When winter rends the hungry family and the snow falls | Upon the ways of men hiding the paths of man and beast, | Then mourns the wanderer: then he repents his wanderings & eyes | The distant forest: then the slave groans in the dungeon of stone, | The captive in the mill of the stranger, sold for scanty hire. | They view their former life: they number moments over and over: | Stringing them on their remembrance as on a thread of sorrow. | Thou art my sister and my daughter: thy shame is mine also: | Ask me not of my griefs! thou knowest all my griefs. | Jerusalem answer'd with soft tears over the valleys. | Vala what is Sin? that thou shudderest and weepest | At sight of thy once lov'd Jerusalem! What is Sin but a little | Error & fault that is soon forgiven; but mercy is not a Sin | Nor pity nor love nor kind forgiveness: O! if I have Sinned | Forgive & pity me! O! unfold thy Veil in mercy & love! | Slay not my little ones, beloved Virgin daughter of Babylon, | Slay not my infant loves & graces, beautiful daughter of Moab. | I cannot put off the human form, I strive but strive in vain. | When Albion rent thy beautiful net of gold and silver twine, | Thou hadst woven it with art, thou hadst caught me in the bands | Of love: thou refusedst to let me go: Albion beheld thy beauty, | Beautiful thro' our Love's comeliness, beautiful thro' pity. | The Veil shone with thy brightness in the eyes of Albion, | Because it inclos'd pity & love; because we lov'd one-another. | Albion lov'd thee: he rent thy Veil: he embrac'd thee: he lov'd thee! | Astonish'd at his beauty & perfection, thou forgavest his furious love: | I redounded from Albion's bosom in my virgin loveliness : | The Lamb of God reciev'd me in his arms, he smil'd upon us: | He made me his Bride & Wife: he gave thee to Albion. | Then was a time of love: O why is it passed away! | Then Albion broke silence and with groans reply'd."

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.1(20)
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
angels | clouds | fire | flames | literary theme | men | moon | religious and mythological subject | rope | sky | stars | sun | text | women
Access:
Accessible in the Study Room [Request]
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:3449
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IIIF Manifest:
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William Blake (Tate Britain, 2000-11-02 - 2001-02-04) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]

The Human Form Divine - William Blake from the Paul Mellon Collection (Yale Center for British Art, 1997-04-02 - 1997-07-06) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition] [Exhibition Description]


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