William Blake Quotes

Every wolf's and lion's howl Raises from Hell a human soul.

'Come hither, my boy, tell me what thou seest there?' 'A fool tangled in a religious snare.'

Some will say, Is not God alone the Prolific? I answer, God only Acts & Is, in existing beings or Men.

Every thing possible to be believ'd is an image of truth.

I thought Love lived in the hot sunshine, But O, he lives in the moony light! I thought to find Love in the heat of day, But sweet Love is the comforter of night.

The ignorant Insults of Individuals will not hinder me from doing my duty to my Art

My mother bore me in the southern wild, And I am black, but O! my soul is white; White as an angel is the English child, But I am black as if bereaved of light.

When Sir Joshua Reynolds died All Nature was degraded; The King dropped a tear in the Queen's ear, And all his pictures faded.

If Christianity was morality, Socrates would be the Saviour.

Where there is money there is no art.

Then the Parson might preach, & drink, & sing, And we'd be as happy as birds in the spring; And modest dame Lurch, who is always at Church, Would not have bandy children, nor fasting, nor birch.

Enthusiastic Admiration is the first Principle of Knowledge and its last.

Dear Mother, dear Mother, the Church is cold, But the Ale-house is healthy and pleasant and warm.

I have conversed with the spiritual Sun. I saw him on Primrose Hill

I'm sure this Jesus will not do Either for Englishman or Jew.

Bring me an axe and spade, Bring me a winding-sheet; When I my grave have made Let winds and tempests beat: Then down I'll lie as cold as clay. True love doth pass away!

The grave is Heaven's golden gate, And rich and poor around it wait; O Shepherdess of England's fold, Behold this gate of pearl and gold!

Sleep, sleep, beauty bright,Dreaming o'er the joys of night.Sleep, sleep: in thy sleepLittle sorrows sit and weep.

A musician, an artist, an architect: the man or woman who is not one of these is not a Christian.

What has reasoning to do with painting?

I am going to that country which I have all my life wished to see.

The voice of honest indignation is the voice of God.

If you have form'd a circle to go into, Go into it yourself, and see how you would do. They said this mystery never shall cease: The priest promotes war, and the soldier peace.

I cry, Love! Love! Love! happy happy Love! free as the mountain wind!

God is the poetic genius in each of us.

Auguries of innocence "The emmet's inch and eagle's mile Make lame philosophy to smile. He who doubts from what he sees Will ne'er believe, do what you please.

[L]et light Rise from the chambers of the east, and bring The honey'd dew that cometh on waking day. O radiant morning.

The Man who pretends to be a modest enquirer into the truth of a self-evident thing is a Knave.

When a Man has Married a WifeHe finds out whetherHer Knees & elbows are onlyglued together.

All the destruction in Christian Europe has arisen from deism, which is natural religion.

Think not thou canst sigh a sigh And thy maker is not by; Think not thou canst weep a tear And thy maker is not near.

My silks and fine array, My smiles and languished air, By love are driv'n away And mournful lean Despair Brings me yew to deck my grave: Such end true lovers have.

The fields from Islington to Marybone, To Primrose Hill and Saint John's Wood, Were builded over with pillars of gold; And there Jerusalem's pillars stood.

Works of Art can only be produc'd in Perfection where the Man is either in Affluence or is Above the Care of it.

A dead body revenges not injuries.

To cast aside from Poetry, all that is not Inspiration

What has reason to do with the art of painting?

Time is the Mercy of Eternity

I was in a Printing-house in Hell, and saw the method in which knowledge is transmitted from generation to generation.

God forbid that Truth should be confined to Mathematical Demonstration!

England! awake! awake! awake! Jerusalem thy sister calls! Why wilt thou sleep the sleep of death And close her from thy ancient walls?

The hand of Vengeance found the Bed To which the Purple Tyrant fled The iron hand crush'd the tyrant's head And became Tyrant in his stead.

Grown old in love from seven till seven times seven,I oft have wished for Hell for ease from Heaven.

My Brother starv'd between two Walls,His Children's Cry my Soul appalls

Since the French Revolution Englishmen are all intermeasurable one by another, certainly a happy state of agreement to which I forone do not agree.

May God us keep From Single vision and Newton's sleep.

Why a tender curb upon the youthful burning boy? Why a little curtain of flesh on the bed of our desire?

If you trap the moment before it's ripe, The tears of repentence you'll certainly wipe; But if once you let the ripe moment go You can never wipe off the tears of woe.

Come o'er the eastern hills, and let our winds Kiss thy perfumed garments; let us taste Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls Upon our love-sick land that mourns for thee.

The look of love alarms Because 'tis filled with fire; But the look of soft deceit Shall win the lover's hire.