Quotes from William Blake

I am sure this Jesus will not doEither for Englishman or Jew.

The reason Milton wrote in fetters when he wrote of Angels and God, and at liberty when of Devils and Hell, is because he was a true poet and of the Devil's party without knowing it.

The foundation of empire is art and science. Remove them or degrade them, and the empire is no more. Empire follows art and not vice versa as Englishmen suppose.

Want of money and the distress of a thief can never be alleged as the cause of his thieving, for many honest people endure greater hardships with fortitude. We must therefore seek the cause elsewhere than in want of money, for that is the miser's passion, not the thief s.

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

Since all the riches of this world May be gifts from the Devil and earthly kings, I should suspect that I worshipp'd the Devil If I thank'd my God for worldly things.

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

Travelers repose and dream among my leaves.

My mother groan'd! my father wept.Into the dangerous world I leapt:Helpless, naked, piping loud,Like a fiend hid in a cloud.

Thou fair-hair'd angel of the evening, Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains, light Thy bright torch of love; thy radiant crown Put on, and smile upon our evening bed!

Does the Eagle know what is in the pit?Or wilt thou go ask the Mole?Can Wisdom be put in a silver rod?Or Love in a golden bowl?

There is a smile of love,And there is a smile of deceit,And there is a smile of smilesIn which these two smiles meet.

O autumn, laden with fruit, and stain'd With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit Beneath my shady roof, there thou mayst rest, And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe, And all the daughters of the year shall dance! Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

The Angel that presided o'er my birthSaid, "Little creature, formed of joy and mirth,Go love without the help of any thing on earth."

If the sun and moon should doubt, They'd immediately go out.

Like a fiend in a cloud,With howling woe,After night I do crowd,And with night will go.

Truth can never be told so as to be understood, and not be believ'd.

I ask'd a thief to steal me a peach:He turned up his eyes.I ask'd a lithe lady to lie her down:Holy and meek, she cries.As soon as I wentAn angel came.He wink'd at the thiefAnd smil'd at the dame—And without one word saidHad a peach from the tree,And still as a maidEnjoy'd the lady.

Both read the Bible day and night,But thou read'st black where I read white.

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:He is called by thy name,For he calls himself a Lamb.He is meek and he is mild;He became a little child.I a child, and thou a lamb,We are called by his name.Little Lamb, God bless thee!Little Lamb, God bless thee!

The spirits of the air live on the smells Of fruit; and joy, with pinions light, roves round The gardens, or sits singing in the trees...

What the hammer? what the chain?In what furnace was thy brain?What the anvil? what dread graspDare its deadly terrors clasp?When the stars threw down their spearsAnd water'd heaven with their tears,Did he smile his work to see?Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

The vision of Christ that thou dost seeIs my vision's greatest enemy.

He who shall hurt the little wrenShall never be belov'd by men.