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retains the knowledge of his experience. Hence, his consciousness

spontaneously attempts to recreate the state of self-annihilation in the energies of God. Since Albion is no longer one with Divine energy his only source of recreation lies within himself. Hence, his ascent into his own palace (the 'mansion' of his consciousness) upon "steps of fire" parodies the true ascent to the throne of God. Within his mansion, by the 'altar' of his consciousness, he sees a parody of the Divine, the "Shadow" which is a "wat'ry vision" of himself, and in worshipping it, worships himself.

It should be noted that the use of water here helps unite the cloud, water, and tear symbolism of the cycle of the poem as a whole, for water symbolizes the chaos of the finite. Its reciprocal is wine, and the transmutation of water to wine occurs after the apocalypse by means of the harvest and vintage of Night the Ninth. After the harvest and vintage, the mundane passions are re-united with Divine passion and the cycle is complete. Water, in all its various forms, has its source here in the "Shadow" which, "Soft exulting in existence," absorbs "the Man" to create finitude:

"Man fell upon his face prostrate before the wat'ry

shadow,

55 "Saying '0 Lord, whence is this change? thou knowest

I am nothing.'

"And Vala trembled & cover'd her face, & her locks

were spread on the pavement.

"[I del.] We heard astonish'd at the Vision, & [my

del.] our hearts trembled within [me del.] us.

"[I del.] We heard the voice of the Slumberous Man,

& thus he spoke

"Idolatrous to his own Shadow, words of Eternity

uttering:

60 '"0 I am nothing when I enter into judgement with

thee.

"'If thou withdraw thy breath I die & vanish into

Hades;