William Blake
William Blake
William Blakewas an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. His prophetic works have been said to form "what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the English language". His visual artistry led one contemporary art critic to proclaim him "far and away the greatest artist Britain has ever produced". In...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth28 November 1757
To generalize is to be an idiot.
When nations grow old the Arts grow cold And commerce settles on every tree
Does a firm persuasion that a thing is so, make it so?" He replied, "All poets believe it does. And in ages of imagination, this firm persuasion removes mountains; but many are not capable of firm persuasion of anything.
Eternity is in love with the productions of time.
God appears, and God is Light, to those poor souls who dwell in Night; but does a Human Form display to those who dwell in realms of Day.
Why stand we here trembling around, calling on God for help, and not ourselves, in whom God dwells?
The moon, like a flower in heaven's high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night.
One Power alone makes a Poet: Imagination. The Divine Vision.
For all eternity, I forgive you and you forgive me.
Pity would be no more, If we did not make somebody poor. Mercy no more could be, If all were happy as we.
I must create a system or be enslaved by another mans; I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.
Mercy is the golden chain by which society is bound together.
Thy friendship oft has made my heart to ache: do be my enemy for friendship's sake.
Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.