notes-3a

Oothoon
A quick summary of the political import of Visions of the Daughters of Albion came in a letter from Scholar James Rovira:
"I read VDA (only in part) as a critique of US democracy in the light of its violation of democratic ideals (personified by Oothoon) by its legalization of slavery. The forces that would combat slavery are overly passive (Theotormon, God-tormented, conscience in the light of democratic ideals) while the forces of market capitalism that benefit from slavery (Bromion) actively rape/violate these ideals. But, these democratic ideals are still in charge, yet unable to fully give themselves to their ideals, so that the most seriously damaged victim of Bromion's rape was Theotormon, not Oothoon, who is still at least capable of selfless love and who is going to bring forth life."
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In All Religions are One Blake defined the poetic genius:

 PRINCIPLE 1:
That the Poetic Genius is the true Man. and that
the body or outward form of Man is derived from
the Poetic Genius. Likewise that the forms of all
things are derived from their Genius. which by the Ancients was call'd an Angel and Spirit and Demon.

PRINCIPLE 2

 As all men are alike in outward form, So (and with the same infinite variety) 

all are alike in the Poetic Genius.

PRINCIPLE 3 

No man can think write or speak
from his heart, but he must intend truth.
Thus all sects of Philosophy are from the Poetic
Genius adapted to the weaknesses of every individual.

PRINCIPLE 4. 

As none by traveling over known
lands can find out the unknown. So from already
acquired knowledge Man could not acquire more;
therefore an universal Poetic Genius exists

PRINCIPLE. 5. 

The Religions of all Nations are derived from each Nations 

different reception of the Poetic Genius which is everywhere 

call'd  the Spirit of Prophecy.

PRINCIPLE 6 

The Jewish and Christian
Testaments are An original derivation from the
Poetic Genius. this is necessary from the confined nature of bodily sensation.

Blake originally ascribed this to Jesus, but then added Urthona and Los 

(the Lord's representatives in his system).
one dies, we say he/she passed away. The question is-- what dies? 

The Roman Empire died; the British Empire died? 

But those were not people per se; they were states, conglomerates of materiality. 

So death is relative-- from what to what? 

Ellie asked a workmate if he considered himself a body or a spirit;
"a body", he said;
"a spirit", she said.

So what dies? A body or a spirit or both? (In mortal life our bodies are said to actually die (cell by cell) and be renewed every 7 years.)