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Inscribed in graphite, lower left: "18"

Lettered inside image, left: "They call'd her Pity, and fled | 11. 'Spread a Tent. with strong cur- | -tains around them | 'Let cords & stakes bind in the Void | That Eternals may no more behold them' | 12. They began to weave curtains of | darkness | They erected large pillars round the Void | With golden hooks fastend in the pillars | With infinite labour the Eternals | A woof wove. and called it Science | Chap: VI. | 1. But Los saw the Female & pitied | He embrac'd her, she wept, she refus'd | In perverse and cruel delight | She fled from his arms, yet he followd | 2. Eternity shudder'd when they saw. | Man begetting his likeness. | On his own divided image. | 3. A time passed over, the Eternals | Began to erect the tent; | When Enitharmon sick. | Felt a Worm within her womb. | 4. Yet helpless it lay like a Worm | In the trembling womb | To be moulded into existence"; right: "5. All day the worm lay on her bosom | All night within her womb | The worm lay till it grew to a ser- | -pent | With dolorous hissings & poisons | Round Enitharmons loins folding. | 6. Coild within Enitharmons womb | The serpent grew casting its scales, | With sharp pangs the hissings began | To change to a grating cry, | Many sorrows and dismal throes. | Many forms of fish. bird & beast. | Brought forth an Infant form | Where was a worm before. | 7. The Eternals their tent finished | Alarm'd with these gloomy visions | When Enitharmon groaning | Produc'd a man Child to the light. | 8. A shriek ran thro' Eternity: | And a paralytic stroke: | At the birth of the Human shadow. | 9. Delving earth in his resistless | way: | Howling, the Child with fierce flames | Issu'd from Enitharmon. | 10. The Eternals, closed the tent | They beat down the stakes the cords"