- Title:
- Chapter II, "Muster around the bleak desarts..." (Plate 4)
- Part Of:
- Date:
- 1794
- Materials & Techniques:
- Color-printed relief etching in green ink, with watercolor on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
- Dimensions:
- Sheet: 11 7/8 x 9 5/8 inches (30.2 x 24.4 cm), Plate: 6 1/8 x 4 inches (15.6 x 10.2 cm)
- Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed in graphite, lower left: "5"
Lettered inside image, center: "1 Urizen:c II."; left: "Muster around the bleak desarts | Now fill'd with clouds darkness & waters | That roll'd perplex'd labring & utter'd | Words articulate, bursting in thunders | That roll'd on the tops of his mountains | 4. From the depths of dark solitude, | From | The eternal abode in my holiness, | Hidden, set apart in my stern counsels | Reserv'd for the days of futurity. | I have sought for a joy without pain, | For a solid without fluctuation | Why will you die O Eternals? | Why live in unquenchable burnings? | 5 First I fought with the fire; consum'd | Inwards, into a deep world within: | A void immense, wild dark & deep | Where nothing was: Natures wide womb | And self balanc'd stretch'd o'er the void | I alone, even I! the winds merciless | Bound; but condensing, in torrents | They fall & fall; strong, I repell'd | The vast waves, & arose on the waters | A wide world of solid obstruction | 6. Here alone I in books formd of me- | -tals | Have written the secrets of wisdom"; right: "The secrets of dark contemplation | By fightings and conflicts dire. | With terrible monsters Sin-bred: | Which the bosoms of all inhabit; | Seven deadly Sins of the soul. | 7. Lo! I unfold my darkness; and on | This rock, place with strong hand the Book | Of eternal brass, written in my solitude. | 8. Laws of peace. of love. of unity; | Of pity. compassion. forgiveness. | Let each chuse one habitation: | His ancient infinite mansion: | One command. one joy. one desire, | One curse. one weight, one measure | One King. one God. one Law. | Chap: III. | 1. The voice ended, they saw his pale | visage | Emerge from the darkess; his hand | On the rock of eternity unclasping | The Book of brass. Rage siez'd the strong | 2. Rage, fury. intense indignation | In cataracts of fire blood & gall | In whirlwinds of sulphurous smoke: | And enormous forms of energy; | All the seven deadly sins of the soul"
- Credit Line:
- Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
- Copyright Status:
- Public Domain
- Accession Number:
- B1978.43.1423
- Classification:
- Prints
- Collection:
- Prints and Drawings
- Subject Terms:
- leaf | literary theme | men | nudes | text | trees | vines
- Access:
- Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details. - Link:
- https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:2349
- Export:
- XML
- IIIF Manifest:
- JSON
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]
William Blake - His Art & Times (Art Gallery of Ontario, 1982-12-03 - 1983-02-06) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]
William Blake - His Art & Times (Yale Center for British Art, 1982-09-15 - 1982-11-14) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]