The Poetry and Prose of William Blake Edited by David V. Erdman: Commentary by Harold Bloom |
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Chap 6 The Poetry and Prose of William Blake | ||
445
[When old corruption first begun]
[1]
When old corruption first begunAdornd in yellow vest
He committed on flesh a whoredom
O what a wicked beast
2
From them a callow babe did springAnd old corruption smild
To think his race should never end
For now he had a child
3
He calld him Surgery & fedThe babe with his own milk
For flesh & he could neer agree
She would not let him suck
4
And this he always kept in mindAnd formd a crooked knife
And ran about with bloody hands
To seek his mothers life
5
And as he ran to seek his motherHe met with a dead woman
He fell in love & married her
A deed which is not common
6
She soon grew pregnant & brought forthScurvy & spotted fever
The father grind & skipt about
And said I'm made for ever
446
7
For now I have procurd these impsIll try experiments
With that he tied poor scurvy down
& stopt up all its vents
8
And when the child began to swellHe shouted out aloud
Ive found the dropsy out & soon
Shall do the world more good
9
He took up fever by the neckAnd cut out all its spots
And thro the holes which he had made
He first discoverd guts
Chap 6 The Poetry and Prose of William Blake | ||