90

"'If thou dost lay thine hand upon me, behold I am silent;

"'If thou withhold thine hand I perish like a

fallen leaf.

'"0 I am nothing, & to nothing must return again.

65 "'If thou withdraw thy breath, behold I am oblivion.'

(K. III. 54-65)

Albion's enshrinement of his own shadow within the mansion of his consciousness is paralleled further by Urizen's enshrinement of Ahania in his "Golden hall" (K. II. 179). There, Ahania is described as Urizen's "Shadowy Feminine Semblance" who "repos'd on a White Couch, / Or hover'd over his starry head " (K. II. 181-182).

Out of the clouds of the "Shadow" of Albion descends Luvah, the differentiated component of mundane passion that Albion's "wearied intellect" erroneously 'imaged' as the creative breath of God and worshipped. A primal conflict over Vala follows and the unregulated energies of Luvah are released upon Albion:

"[I del.] We heard the Voice of the [fall'n One del.]

Albion starting from his sleep:"

"'Why roll thy clouds in sick'ning mists? I can no

longer hide

"'The dismal vision of mine eyes. 0 love & life &

light:

'"Prophetic dreads urge me to speak: futurity is

before me

75 "'Like a dark lamp. Eternal death haunts all my

expectation..

'"Rent from Eternal Brotherhood we die & are no more.

'"Whence is this voice crying, Enion; that soundeth

in my ears?

'"0 cruel pity! 0 dark deceit; can Love seek for

dominion?'

CK. III. 71-79)

As Albion falls he sees "futurity," or finite time, "Like a dark lamp" before him and becomes aware of division. He cries "0 love & life & light!/Prophetic dreads urge me to speak" and thereby senses his division into "Love" or Luvah, "life" or Tharmas, "light" or Urizen,