WILLIAM BLAKE: GOLDEN STRING Blake seeks to provide the Golden String which can lead us through the labyrinth of our experience or his own poetry. Wednesday, November 7, 2012 BLAKE'S MESSAGE The message Blake intended to deliver is seen variously by individuals who study him according to the framework in which in which they work. David Erdman viewed Blake within the "intellectual and social history of his times." Erdman, in Prophet Against Empire, finds Blake's message in the climax of Jerusalem as Albion is able to realistically view the conditions that exist around him. Albion's eyes are opened allowing Britannia to initiate a transformed society. Erdman (Page 485): "In Blake's final 'Visions of Heaven & Earth' (J.96) he sees a revolutionized Britannia reversing the original Temptation by leading Albion into Paradise...But these revolutions swiftly compelled his dislocated Zoas to resume their proper places as 'Sons of Eden.' Whereupon 'England who is Britannia entered Albion's bosom rejoicing, Rejoicing in his indignation! adoring his wrathful rebuke' (J. 94-95). After this visionary preview, the rest is easy. Blake knows that the prophetic wrath he has had such difficulty trying to control will be fully vindicated when Albion learns to express it adequately and generously in Action and Passion. Vox Populi, vox dei. The wrath in his bosom has really come from the Divine Humanity in his bosom, as he now discovers when Jesus appears, ready to converse 'as Man with Man, in Ages of Eternity And the Divine Appearance was the likeness & similitude of Los.' Albion is quickly given to understand that the angry prophet has been his true friend all along, dying for him continually - for every kindness to another is a little Death In the Divine Image nor can Can Man exist but by Brotherhood' (J. 96). Now for a moment it is Albion who views with alarm the condition of the world, which Hand has hidden from him: 'Do I sleep amidst danger to Friends! O my Cities & Counties Do you sleep! rouze up! rouze up. Eternal Death is abroad' But this act in itself accomplishes the revolution, demonstrating as it does that Albion has begun to think 'not for himself but for his Friend." Jerusalem, Plate 96, (E 255) "As the Sun & Moon lead forward the Visions of Heaven & Earth England who is Brittannia entered Albions bosom rejoicing Then Jesus appeared standing by Albion as the Good Shepherd By the lost Sheep that he hath found & Albion knew that it Was the Lord the Universal Humanity, & Albion saw his Form A Man. & they conversed as Man with Man, in Ages of Eternity And the Divine Appearance was the likeness & similitude of Los Albion said. O Lord what can I do! my Selfhood cruel Marches against thee deceitful from Sinai & from Edom Into the Wilderness of Judah to meet thee in his pride I behold the Visions of my deadly Sleep of Six Thousand Years Dazling around thy skirts like a Serpent of precious stones & gold I know it is my Self. O my Divine Creator & Redeemer Jesus replied Fear not Albion unless I die thou canst not live But if I die I shall arise again & thou with me This is Friendship & Brotherhood without it Man Is Not So Jesus spoke! the Covering Cherub coming on in darkness Overshadowd them & Jesus said Thus do Men in Eternity One for another to put off by forgiveness, every sin" Yale Center for British Art Young's Night Thoughts Plate 9 The entry into a new world of expanded consciousness is initiated by the experience of awakening from the sleep of false assumptions. Albion's sleep originated when he accepted Vala as the real and lost his ability to perceive Eternity. His awakening came when he could see the natural, political and social world from the perspective of Eternity: when he could converse 'as Man with Man' with the Universal Humanity. Posted by ellie at 7:40 AM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: Albion Monday, November 5, 2012 EIGHTH DIVINE IMAGE III There is a tug of war going on between the manifestation of the Eighth Eye and the Reactor in the Forests of Albion. Within the mind of man there is confusion: to which image of God will we give our allegiance. Satan claims godship and is worshipped as God of this World. He convinces us that the here and now are the real and that Eternity is the illusion; he promotes war and repressive control through the accusation of sin and the fear of hell; he diverts man from the use of his imagination by elevating nature (the material) into the state of a goddess. Satan is a deception from which man must escape. Clarity of vision is not fooled by the veils and nets which seek to entrap. Realising that man is made in God's Image leads to the a perception of God within, who is not an accuser, judge or punisher but the source of Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love. Songs of Innocence, 18, (E 12) "The Divine Image. To Mercy Pity Peace and Love, All pray in their distress: And to these virtues of delight Return their thankfulness. For Mercy Pity Peace and Love, Is God our father dear: And Mercy Pity Peace and Love, Is Man his child and care. For Mercy has a human heart Pity, a human face: And Love, the human form divine, And Peace, the human dress. Then every man of every clime, That prays in his distress, Prays to the human form divine Love Mercy Pity Peace. And all must love the human form, In heathen, turk or jew. Where Mercy, Love & Pity dwell, There God is dwelling too" Northrop Frye, in Fearful Symmetry, has something to say about the progress of man through the Eyes of God and the formidable opposition to the transition to the Eighth Eye which is waged by Satan as the adversary to God and man. "The crucified Christ is the visible form of Man's dream state, and whatever is completely visible is transparent, that means the crucified Christ is a prism or lens of reality, that is, an eye, which Man is slowly trying to open. The word 'eye' associates itself at once with another part of Blake's symbolism. Seven Eyes of God, seven increasingly clear visions of the unity of God and Man in one body, in one city, have completed their work, and we are now searching for the eighth. He is still elusive, still hiding in the forests, as Blake says, and when we do get him we will have a new perception of God which will be a final confirmation of either the Blakean or the Lockian view of reality, either a newborn God or an Antichrist. Of Antichrist Paul says: 'And ye know now what withholdeth that he might be revealed in time', and Blake adds, 'But you cannot behold him until he be revealed in his system.' He also tells us to look through and not with our own eyes." (Page 401) 2nd Thessalonians 2 [3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; [4] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. [5] Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [6] And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. Jerusalem, Plate 43 [29], (E 191) "Then the Divine Vision like a silent Sun appeard above Albions dark rocks: setting behind the Gardens of Kensington On Tyburns River, in clouds of blood: where was mild Zion Hills Most ancient promontory, and in the Sun, a Human Form appeard And thus the Voice Divine went forth upon the rocks of Albion I elected Albion for my glory; I gave to him the Nations, Of the whole Earth. he was the Angel of my Presence: and all The Sons of God were Albions Sons: and Jerusalem was my joy. The Reactor hath hid himself thro envy. I behold him. But you cannot behold him till he be reveald in his System Albions Reactor must have a Place prepard: Albion must Sleep The Sleep of Death, till the Man of Sin & Repentance be reveald. Hidden in Albions Forests he lurks: he admits of no Reply >From Albion: but hath founded his Reaction into a Law Of Action, for Obedience to destroy the Contraries of Man[.] He hath compelld Albion to become a Punisher & hath possessd Himself of Albions Forests & Wilds! and Jerusalem is taken!" Inferno, Canto II, 139-141 Dante and Virgil enter the wood Satan has not yet been revealed in his system but the Divine Vision makes itself known to mankind offering itself as the Divine Humanity. Jerusalem, Plate 44 [30], (E 193) "And the Divine hand was upon them bearing them thro darkness Back safe to their Humanity as doves to their windows: Therefore the Sons of Eden praise Urthonas Spectre in Songs Because he kept the Divine Vision in time of trouble. They wept & trembled: & Los put forth his hand & took them in Into his Bosom: from which Albion shrunk in dismal pain; Rending the fibres of Brotherhood & in Feminine Allegories Inclosing Los: but the Divine Vision appeard with Los Following Albion into his Central Void among his Oaks. And Los prayed and said. O Divine Saviour arise Upon the Mountains of Albion as in ancient time. Behold! The Cities of Albion seek thy face, London groans in pain >From Hill to Hill & the Thames laments along the Valleys" Posted by ellie at 9:32 AM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: God, Jesus Saturday, November 3, 2012 EIGHTH DIVINE IMAGE II It is in Milton that Blake develops his concept of the Eighth Image of God. First the Eighth Divine Image appears as Milton's sleeping body which arose and walked with the seven in Eden. The intimation here is that Milton has the potential for being the Eighth Image himself. Milton, Plate 15 [17], (E 109) "As when a man dreams, he reflects not that his body sleeps, Else he would wake; so seem'd he entering his Shadow: but With him the Spirits of the Seven Angels of the Presence Entering; they gave him still perceptions of his Sleeping Body; Which now arose and walk'd with them in Eden, as an Eighth Image Divine tho' darken'd; and tho walking as one walks In sleep; and the Seven comforted and supported him." The Shadowy Eighth is with the Seven in Beulah when the heavens are rended and the descent is made into the deeps of Ulro. The Shadowy Eighth and Los join the Watchers of the Ulro in desperation. Milton, Plate 20 [22], (E 114) "But many of the Eternals rose up from eternal tables Drunk with the Spirit, burning round the Couch of death they stood Looking down into Beulah: wrathful, fill'd with rage! They rend the heavens round the Watchers in a fiery circle: And round the Shadowy Eighth: the Eight close up the Couch Into a tabernacle, and flee with cries down to the Deeps: Where Los opens his three wide gates, surrounded by raging fires! They soon find their own place & join the Watchers of the Ulro. Los saw them and a cold pale horror coverd o'er his limbs Pondering he knew that Rintrah & Palamabron might depart: Even as Reuben & as Gad; gave up himself to tears. He sat down on his anvil-stock; and leand upon the trough. Looking into the black water, mingling it with tears. At last when desperation almost tore his heart in twain He recollected an old Prophecy in Eden recorded, And often sung to the loud harp at the immortal feasts That Milton of the Land of Albion should up ascend Forwards from Ulro from the Vale of Felpham; and set free Orc from his Chain of Jealousy, he started at the thought" The Eighth then joined with the Seven becoming the Eight Immortal Starry-Ones who rejoice at the descent of Ololon. Milton, Plate 35 [39], (E 135) "And Ololon examined all the Couches of the Dead. Even of Los & Enitharmon & all the Sons of Albion And his Four Zoas terrified & on the verge of Death In midst of these was Miltons Couch, & when they saw Eight Immortal Starry-Ones, guarding the Couch in flaming fires They thunderous utterd all a universal groan falling down Prostrate before the Starry Eight asking with tears forgiveness Confessing their crime with humiliation and sorrow. O how the Starry Eight rejoic'd to see Ololon descended! And now that a wide road was open to Eternity, By Ololons descent thro Beulah to Los & Enitharmon," The culmination of the descent of Ololon to Felpham's Vale and into the Fires of Intellect is the release of the Divine Revelation in the 'Litteral' expression. The Starry Eight became One Man Jesus the Saviour and Ololon becomes his garment. The Angel of the Divine Presence original in Fitzwilliam Museum found at william-blake.org Milton, Plate 42 [49], (E 143) "Then as a Moony Ark Ololon descended to Felphams Vale In clouds of blood, in streams of gore, with dreadful thunderings Into the Fires of Intellect that rejoic'd in Felphams Vale Around the Starry Eight: with one accord the Starry Eight became One Man Jesus the Saviour. wonderful! round his limbs The Clouds of Ololon folded as a Garment dipped in blood Written within & without in woven letters: & the Writing Is the Divine Revelation in the Litteral expression: A Garment of War, I heard it namd the Woof of Six Thousand Years" Read posts on Ololon, the Moony Ark, and the Mystical Marriage for further detail. Posted by ellie at 7:45 AM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: God, Jesus Wednesday, October 31, 2012 EIGHTH DIVINE IMAGE Jerusalem, Plate 55,(E 204) "And they Elected Seven, calld the Seven Eyes of God; Lucifer, Molech, Elohim, Shaddai, Pahad, Jehovah, Jesus. They namd the Eighth. he came not, he hid in Albions Forests But first they said: (& their Words stood in Chariots in array Curbing their Tygers with golden bits & bridles of silver & ivory)" To Blake the seven Spirits or Angels elected by the Eternals to be the guardians of the created world were incomplete. They were to be joined by an Eighth whose presence was not yet fully expressed to mankind. Since Blake identifies the seventh Eye of God with Jesus, the eighth will be the revelation of God which follows that of Jesus. We know that Jesus promised to leave with us his spirit which would be with us always. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and filled them with his presence. However God's Kingdom remained within the hearts, minds and bodies of men and did not spread to cover the earth as the disciples hoped it would. Matthew 28 [18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. John 14 [9] Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [25] These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. [27] Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. The Ascension original in Fitzwilliam Museum found at william-blake.org Acts 2 [1] And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. [2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. [3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. To this hoped for Kingdom of the Spirit of Christ which would come forth through the activity of the Holy Spirit, Blake gave form as the Eighth Divine Image. Posted by ellie at 8:05 PM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: God, Jesus Friday, October 26, 2012 ETERNAL DEED II In the continuation of the passage from Plate 55 of Jerusalem in which 'an eternal deed was done' Blake states that the Seven Eyes of God were elected. He gives each a name used for God and mentioned in the Bible. Each name is used symbolically to recall a period of history characterised by behaviors and attitudes prevalent in the development of humanity at a particular time. Blake's insight is that cultures are progressing through phases of development which are built on previous experiences. The errors which are revealed through adherence to prevailing ideas, as well as the opportunities which become apparent through apprehending new truth, impel mankind to explore options which were formerly closed to him. Jerusalem, Plate 55, (E 204) "But others said: Let us to him who only Is, & who Walketh among us, give decision. bring forth all your fires! So saying, an eternal deed was done: in fiery flames The Universal Conc[l]ave raged, ... Then far the greatest number were about to make a Separation And they Elected Seven, calld the Seven Eyes of God; Lucifer, Molech, Elohim, Shaddai, Pahad, Jehovah, Jesus." Blake saw the passage through these phases of development as synonymous with encountering the 'seven Spirits of God' or the Lamb 'having seven horns and seven eyes', which are two images used in the Book of Revelation. As the seven Spirits were sent forth into all the earth in the Book of Revelation, Blake's Seven Eyes were the provision that the Eternals made for the contingent that separated and 'who Walketh among us.' [6] And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5) Boston College website Illustrations of the Book of Job Plate 13 Blake further saw that the psychological and spiritual development of the individual progressed through the stages represented by the Eyes of God. The formation of the psyche is not accomplished in a single step, but proceeds through multiple steps. Especially in Blake's set of Illustrations of the Book of Job he shows the psychological process through which an individual psyche is restructured to accommodate a real relationship with the Divine. Four Zoas, Night II, Page 21, (E 312) "The Family Divine drew up the Universal tent Above High Snowdon & closd the Messengers in clouds around Till the time of the End. Then they Elected Seven. called the Seven Eyes of God & the Seven lamps of the Almighty The Seven are one within the other the Seventh is named Jesus" Other posts on Eyes of God. Posted by ellie at 5:12 AM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: Consciousness, Eternity Wednesday, October 24, 2012 ETERNAL DEED Why should those who exist at a level of development higher than the turmoil of the world we know concern themselves with our petty concerns? Why not remain aloof in the ever-fluctuating world of mental delights. An awareness of an aberration comes into their field of perception: one of their own has assumed a limitation and entered a state. Jerusalem, Plate 55, (E 204) "When those who disregard all Mortal Things, saw a Mighty-One Among the Flowers of Beulah still retain his awful strength They wonderd; checking their wild flames & Many gathering Together into an Assembly; they said, let us go down And see these changes! Others said, If you do so prepare For being drived from our fields, what have we to do with the Dead? To be their inferiors or superiors we equally abhor; Superior, none we know: inferior none: all equal share Divine Benevolence & joy, for the Eternal Man Walketh among us, calling us his Brothers & his Friends: Forbidding us that Veil which Satan puts between Eve & Adam By which the Princes of the Dead enslave their Votaries Teaching them to form the Serpent of precious stones & gold To sieze the Sons of Jerusalem & plant them in One Mans Loins To make One Family of Contraries: that Joseph may be sold Into Egypt: for Negation; a Veil the Saviour born & dying rends." Consensus was destroyed among the Immortals: some drew back, some choose to explore. The spark had ignited the evolution of consciousness which resulted from the initiation of duality in the form of the 'Family of Contraries.' Blake provides no fanfare for the event that shook the universe, saying only: "Let us to him who only Is, & who Walketh among us, give decision." Apparently the situation is controlled by the word 'Is' as representing a level of existence other than that of the Eternals, which has become an option that may be entered. "But others said: Let us to him who only Is, & who Walketh among us, give decision. bring forth all your fires! So saying, an eternal deed was done: in fiery flames The Universal Conc[l]ave raged, such thunderous sounds as never Were sounded from a mortal cloud, nor on Mount Sinai old Nor in Havilah where the Cherub rolld his redounding flame. Loud! loud! the Mountains lifted up their voices, loud the Forests Rivers thunderd against their banks, loud Winds furious fought Cities & Nations contended in fires & clouds & tempests. The Seas raisd up their voices & lifted their hands on high The Stars in their courses fought. the Sun! Moon! Heaven! Earth. Contending for Albion & for Jerusalem his Emanation And for Shiloh, the Emanation of France & for lovely Vala. Then far the greatest number were about to make a Separation" wikimedia Milton's Paradise Lost Satan Calling Up His Legions Milton's war in heaven which in Paradise Lost, led to the creation of our world resulted from the pride of Lucifer and his fear of being supplanted by the creation of mankind. Blake's fall was simply a separation: a movement to walk among those who had entered temporal existence. Posted by ellie at 6:33 AM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: Eternity Monday, October 22, 2012 ENITHARMON FALLS British Museum Jerusalem Plate 85, Copy A We read in Northrop Frye's Fearful Symmetry of the origin of the form of a woman when the 'active creative energy' becomes passive. The exteriorized object is seen as a woman and may become an object of worship. The power ceded to the object creates a destructive scenario. Frye states on Page 126: "There are several accounts of the Fall in Blake which we shall summarize later, but the invariable characteristic of them is Albion's relapse from active creative energy to passivity. This passivity takes the form of wonder or awe at the world he has created, which in eternity he sees as a woman. The Fall thus begins in Beulah, the divine garden identified with Eden in Genesis. Once he takes the fatal step of thinking the object-world independent of him, Albion sinks into a sleep symbolising the passivity of his mind, and his creation separates and becomes the 'female will' or Mother Nature, the remote and inaccessible universe of tantalizing mystery we now see. Love, or the transformation of the objective into the beloved, and art, or the transformation of the objective into the created, are the two activities pursued on this earth to repair the damage of the Fall and they raise our state to Beulah and Eden respectively. On earth the cult of worshipping the independent object or female will takes two chief forms. One is the superstitious reverence for a Mother God, the primitive fear of the sibyl or prophetess whom the Teutons called Vala. This is the symbolic form of nature-worship, and Blake gives the name Vala to nature in his symbolism. The other form is the worship not so much of vegetative nature as of the Queen of Heaven, the remote, mysterious beauty of the starry heavens. This produces on earth the blind devotion to a mistress who is expected to elude and tantalize the lover, the basis for the Troubadour code. The Queen of Heaven's name in Blake is Enitharmon." When we consider the role of Enitharmon we find ambivalence. She is both an attractive and admired entity and a destructive force who diminishes her male counterpart. Enitharmon and Los without cooperation from the other continue to fall into vengeance and strife. Jerusalem, Plate 88, (E 246) "For Man cannot unite with Man but by their Emanations Which stand both Male & Female at the Gates of each Humanity How then can I ever again be united as Man with Man While thou my Emanation refusest my Fibres of dominion. When Souls mingle & join thro all the Fibres of Brotherhood Can there be any secret joy on Earth greater than this? Enitharmon answerd: This is Womans World, nor need she any Spectre to defend her from Man. I will Create secret places And the masculine names of the places Merlin & Arthur. A triple Female Tabernacle for Moral Law I weave That he who loves Jesus may loathe terrified Female love Till God himself become a Male subservient to the Female. She spoke in scorn & jealousy, alternate torments; and So speaking she sat down on Sussex shore singing lulling Cadences, & playing in sweet intoxication among the glistening Fibres of Los: sending them over the Ocean eastward into The realms of dark death; O perverse to thyself, contrarious To thy own purposes; for when she began to weave Shooting out in sweet pleasure her bosom in milky Love Flowd into the aching fibres of Los. yet contending against him In pride sending his Fibres over to her objects of jealousy In the little lovely Allegoric Night of Albions Daughters Which stretchd abroad, expanding east & west & north & south Thro' all the World of Erin & of Los & all their Children A sullen Smile broke from the Spectre in mockery & scorn Knowing himself the author of their divisions & shrinkings, gratified At their contentions, he wiped his tears he washd his visage. The Man who respects Woman shall be despised by Woman And deadly cunning & mean abjectness only, shall enjoy them For I will make their places of joy & love, excrementitious[.] Continually building, continually destroying in Family feuds While you are under the dominion of a jealous Female Unpermanent for ever because of love & jealousy. You shall want all the Minute Particulars of Life Thus joyd the Spectre in the dusky fires of Los's Forge, eyeing Enitharmon who at her shining Looms sings lulling cadences While Los stood at his Anvil in wrath the victim of their love And hate; dividing the Space of Love with brazen Compasses In Golgonooza & in Udan-Adan & in Entuthon of Urizen." Posted by ellie at 7:22 AM No comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook Labels: Enitharmon Older Posts Home Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Los the Blacksmith Blog Archive ▼ 2012 (155) ▼ November (3) BLAKE'S MESSAGE EIGHTH DIVINE IMAGE III EIGHTH DIVINE IMAGE II ► October (14) ► September (15) ► August (16) ► July (15) ► June (15) ► May (15) ► April (15) ► March (17) ► February (14) ► January (16) ► 2011 (248) Labels Albion (20) Annihilation (4) Arlington Tempera (9) Bible (33) Blake's Milton (25) Consciousness (18) Contraries (11) CS Lewis (2) Damon (3) Dante (7) Edinger (2) Emanations (14) Enitharmon (14) Eternity (23) Experience (17) Ezekiel (1) Forgiveness (16) Four Zoas (9) Fourfold (2) Frye (10) Generation (3) God (23) Good and Evil (6) Imagination (25) Innocence (8) Jerusalem (19) Jesus (31) Job (8) Jung (10) Los (30) Luvah. (4) Marriage of Heaven and Hell (3) Mental Traveller (10) MOSES (8) Mythology (9) Paul (6) Perception of the Infinite (2) Percival (12) Psychology (11) Quaker (2) Raine (6) Revelations (1) Singer (2) Small Book of Designs (10) Spirit (3) Symbols (22) Tharmas (9) Thel (1) Thomas Butts (18) Urizen (18) Urthona (6) Vala (10) Vision (38) My Photo ellie View my complete profile Followers Links to Online Blake The links provide the best Blake online: 1. The Primer is Larry Clayton's online book with a comprehensive description of Blake's work especially emphasizing his spiritual dimension. 2. Blake's contents 3. Blake's Index 4. The Blake Archive allows you to read the text and view the pictures of all of his illuminated works. 5. Concordance to Complete Works 6. Erdman: The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake Our page numbers are referenced to this volume.