Each Man is in his Spectre's power

by William Blake

Blake manuscript - Notebook 1800 - 08 Each Man is in his Spectres power

Jerusalem The Emanation of The Giant Albion, copy A object 41 Detail-Erdman P184

1st reading: ^[1]

Selections from ‘Jerusalem’ [Man’s Spectre]

(Jerusalem, f. 41 [lines engraved in reverse on scroll].)

EACH Man is in his Spectre’s power
Until the arrival of that hour,
When his Humanity awake,
And cast his Spectre into the Lake.

Note

Man’s Spectre] In the original draft on p. 12 of the Rossetti MS. this quatrain was at first written:

      This world is in the Spectre’s power
      Until the arrival of that hour,
      Until Humanity awake,
      And cast his own Spectre in the Lake—
 
followed by the unfinished stanza.

      And there to Eternity aspire
      The Selfhood in a flame of fire;
      Till then the Lamb of God …

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2nd reading:^[2]

* * *

[4] [This world del.] Each Man is in [the del.] his Spectre’s power
[3] Until the arrival of that hour,
[1] [Until del.] When [the del.] Humanity awake,
[2] And cast [the del.] his own Spectre in the Lake.

                                      And there to Eternity aspire
                                      The Selfhood in a flame of fire
                                      Till then the Lamb of God…

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1. The Poetical Works of William Blake, including the unpublished French Revolution together with the Minor Prophetic Books and Selections from The Four Zoas, Milton & Jerusalem; edited with an introduction and textual notes by John Sampson, Hon. D.Litt. Oxon., 1862–1931. London, New York: Oxford University Press, 1908.
2. "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 421.