University of Virginia Library

THE GHOST of ABEL

A Revelation In the Visions of Jehovah Seen by William Blake

PLATE 1

To LORD BYRON in the Wilderness
What doest thou here Elijah?
Can a Poet doubt the Visions of Jehovah? Nature has no Outline:
but Imagination has. Nature has no Tune: but Imagination has!
Nature has no Supernatural & dissolves: Imagination is Eternity
Scene. A rocky Country. Eve fainted over the dead body of Abel which lays near a Grave. Adam kneels by her Jehovah stands above
Jehovah—
Adam!

Adam—
I will not hear thee more thou Spiritual Voice
Is this Death?

Jehovah—
Adam!

Adam—
It is in vain: I will not hear thee
Henceforth! Is this thy Promise that the Womans Seed
Should bruise the Serpents head: Is this the Serpent? Ah!
Seven times, O Eve thou hast fainted over the Dead. Ah! Ah!

Eve revives
Eve—
Is this the Promise of Jehovah! O it is all a vain delusion
This Death & this Life & this Jehovah!

Jehovah—
Woman: lift thine eyes

A Voice is heard coming on
Voice—
O Earth cover not thou my Blood! cover not thou my Blood

Enter the Ghost of Abel
Eve—
Thou Visionary Phantasm thou art not the real Abel.

Abel—
Among the Elohim a Human Victim I wander I am their House
Prince of the Air & our dimensions compass Zenith & Nadir
Vain is thy Covenant O Jehovah I am the Accuser & Avenger
Of Blood O Earth Cover not thou the Blood of Abel

Jehovah—
What Vengeance dost thou require

Abel—
Life for Life! Life for Life!

Jehovah—
He who shall take Cains life must also Die O Abel
And who is he? Adam wilt thou, or Eve thou do this

Adam—
It is all a Vain delusion of the all creative Imagination
Eve come away & let us not believe these vain delusions
Abel is dead & Cain slew him! We shall also Die a Death
And then! what then? be as poor Abel a Thought: or as
This! O what shall I call thee Form Divine! Father of Mercies
That appearest to my Spiritual Vision: Eve seest thou also.

Eve—
I see him plainly with my Minds Eye. I see also Abel living:
Tho terribly afflicted as We also are, yet Jehovah sees him

Eve—
Alive & not Dead: were it not better to believe Vision
With all our might & strength tho we are fallen & lost

Adam—
Eve thou hast spoken truly. let us kneel before his feet.

They Kneel before Jehovah
Abel—
Are these the Sacrifices of Eternity O Jehovah, a Broken Spirit
And a Contrite Heart. O I cannot Forgive! the Accuser hath
Enterd into Me as into his House & I loathe thy Tabernacles
As thou hast said so is it come to pass: My desire is unto Cain
And He doth rule over Me: therefore My Soul in fumes of Blood
Cries for Vengeance: Sacrifice on Sacrifice Blood on Blood

Jehovah—
Lo I have given you a Lamb for an Atonement instead
Of the Transgres[s]or, or no Flesh or Spirit could ever Live

Abel—
Compelled I cry O Earth cover not the Blood of Abel

Abel sinks down into the Grave from which arises Satan Armed in glittering scales with a Crown & a Spear
Satan—
I will have Human Blood & not the blood of Bulls or Goats
And no Atonement O Jehovah the Elohim live on Sacrifice
Of Men: hence I am God of Men: Thou Human O Jehovah.
By the Rock & Oak of the Druid creeping Mistletoe & Thorn
Cains City built with Human Blood, not Blood of Bulls & Goats
Thou shalt Thyself be Sacrificed to Me thy God on Calvary

Thunders
Jehovah—
Such is My Will.
that Thou Thyself go to Eternal Death
In Self Annihilation even till Satan Self-subdud Put off Satan
Into the Bottomless Abyss whose torment arises for ever & ever.

On each side a Chorus of Angels entering Sing the following
The Curtain falls
The Voice of Abels Blood