YCBA Collections Search

Inscribed in orange ink, upper right: "59"

Lettered inside image: "And formed into Four precious stones, for enterance from Beulah. | For the Veil of Vala, which Albion cast into the Atlantic Deep | To catch the Souls of the Dead, began to Vegetate & Petrify | Around the Earth of Albion, among the Roots of his Tree. | This Los formed into the Gates & mighty Wall, between the Oak | Of Weeping & the Palm of Suffering, beneath Albion's Tomb. | Thus in process of time it became the beautiful Mundane Shell, | The Habitation of the Speclres of the Dead & the Place | Of Redemption & of awaking again into Eternity. | For Four Universes round the Mundane Egg remain Chaotic: | One to the North, Urthona: One to the South, Urizen: | One to the East, Luvah: One to the West, Tharmas: | They are the Four Zoas that stood around the Throne Divine : | Verulam, London, York & Edinburgh, their English names. | But when Luvah assumed the World of Urizen, Southward, | And Albion was slain upon his Mountains & in his Tent, | All fell towards the Centre, sinking downwards in dire ruin. | In the South remains a burning Fire: in the East, a Void: | In the West, a World of raging Waters: in the North, solid Darkness | Unfathomable without end; but in the midst of these | Is Built eternally the sublime Universe of Los & Enitharmon. | And in the North Gate, in the West of the North, toward Beulah, | Cathedron's Looms are builded, and Los's Furnaces in the South. | A wondrous golden Building, immense with ornaments sublime | Is bright Cathedron's golden Hall, its Courts, Towers & Pinnacles. | And one Daughter of Los sat at the fiery Reel & another | Sat at the shining Loom with her Sisters attending round: | Terrible their distress & their sorrow cannot be utter'd. | And another Daughter of Los sat at the Spinning Wheel: | Endless their labour, with bitter food, void of sleep, | Tho' hungry they labour: they rouze themselves anxious | Hour after hour labouring at the whirling Wheel, | Many Wheels, & as many lovely Daughters sit weeping. | Yet the intoxicating delight that they take in their work | Obliterates every other evil: none pities their tears, | Yet they regard not pity & they expect no one to pity, | For they labour for life & love, regardless of any one | But the poor Spectres that they work for: always incessantly | They are mock'd by every one that passes by : they regard not, | They labour: & when their Wheels are broken by scorn & malice | They mend them sorrowing with many tears & afflictions. | Other Daughters Weave on the Cushion & Pillow Network fine, | That Rahab & Tirzah may exist & live & breathe & love: | Ah, that it could be as the Daughters of Beulah wish! | Other Daughters of Los, labouring at Looms less fine, | Create the Silk-worm & the Spider & the Catterpiller | To assist in their most grievous work of pity & compassion : | And others Create the wooly Lamb & the downy Fowl | To assist in the work: the Lamb bleats: the Sea- fowl cries: | Men understand not the distress & the labour & sorrow | That in the Interior Worlds is carried on in fear & trembling, | Weaving the shudd'ring fears & loves of Albion's Families. | Thunderous rage the Spindles of iron, & the iron Distaff | Maddens in the fury of their hands, weaving in bitter tears | The Veil of Goats-hair & Purple & Scarlet & fine twined Linen."