Preface

 The stolen and perverted¹ writings of Homer and Ovid， of Plato and Cicero， which all men ought to contemn²， are set up by artifice³ against the Sublime⁴ of the Bible； but when the New Age is at leisure to pronounce， all will be set right， and those grand works of the more ancient， and consciously and professedly Inspired men will hold their proper rank， and the Daughters of Memory shall become the Daughters of Inspiration. Shakespeare and Milton were both curb'd by the general malady⁵ and infection from the silly Greek and Latin slaves of the sword.

    Rouse up， O Young Men of the New Age！ Set your foreheads against the ignorant hirelings！ For we have hirelings in the Camp， the Court， and the University， who would， if they could， for ever depress mental， and prolong corporeal⁶ war. Painters！ on you I call. Sculptors⁷！ Architects！ suffer not the fashionable fools to depress your powers by the prices they pretend to give for contemptible⁸ works， or the expensive advertising⁹ boasts that they make of such works： believe Christ and His Apostles that there is a class of men whose whole delight is in destroying. We do not want either Greek or Roman models if we are but just and true to our own Imaginations， those Worlds of Eternity¹⁰ in which we shall live for ever， in Jesus our Lord.

    And did those feet in ancient time

    Walk upon England's mountains green？

    And was the holy Lamb of God

    On England's pleasant pastures seen？

    And did the Countenance¹¹ Divine

    Shine forth¹² upon our clouded hills？

    And was Jerusalem builded here

    Among these dark Satanic Mills？

    Bring me my bow of burning gold！

    Bring me my arrows of desire！

    Bring me my spear！ O clouds， unfold！

    Bring me my chariot of fire！

    I will not cease from mental fight，

    Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand，

    Till we have built Jerusalem

    In England's green and pleasant land.