University of Virginia Library

VI
[SATIRIC VERSES AND EPIGRAMS]

[From Blake's Notebook]

Motto to the Songs of Innocence & of Experience

[Let the Brothels of Paris be opened]

[Who will exchange his own fire side]

[When Klopstock England defied]

On the Virginity of the Virgin Mary & Johanna Southcott

Whateer is done to her she cannot know
And if youll ask her she will swear it so
Whether tis good or evil none's to blame
No one can take the pride no one the shame

[You dont believe I wont attempt to make ye]

You dont believe I wont attempt to make ye
You are asleep I wont attempt to wake ye
Sleep on Sleep on while in your pleasant dreams
Of Reason you may drink of Lifes clear streams
Reason and Newton they are quite two things
For so the Swallow & the Sparrow sings
Reason says Miracle. Newton says Doubt
Aye thats the way to make all Nature out
Doubt Doubt & dont believe without experiment
That is the very thing that Jesus meant
When he said Only Believe Believe & try
Try Try & never mind the Reason why

[If it is True What the Prophets write]

[I am no Homers Hero you all know]

I am no Homers Hero you all know
I profess not Generosity to a Foe
My Generosity is to my Friends
That for their Friendship I may make amends.
The Generous to Enemies promotes their Ends
And becomes the Enemy & Betrayer of his Friends

[The Angel that presided oer my birth]

The Angel that presided oer my birth
Said Little creature formd of Joy & Mirth
Go love without the help of any King on Earth

[Some Men created for destruction come]

Some Men created for destruction come
Into the World & make the World their home
Be they as Vile & Base as Eer they can
Theyll still be called The Worlds honest man

[If I eer Grow to Mans Estate]

If I eer Grow to Mans Estate
O Give to me a Womans fate
May I govern all both great & small
Have the last word & take the wall

From Cratelos

Me Time has Crook'd. no good Workman
Is he. Infirm is all that he does

[If Men will act like a maid smiling over a Churn]

[Anger & Wrath my bosom rends]

Anger & Wrath my bosom rends
I thought them the Errors of friends
But all my limbs with warmth glow
I find them the Errors of the foe

An Epitaph

Come knock your heads against this stone
For sorrow that poor John Thompsons gone

Another [Epitaph]

I was buried near this Dike
That my Friends may weep as much as they like

Another [Epitaph]

Here lies John Trot the Friend of all mankind
He has not left one Enemy behind
Friends were quite hard to find old authors say
But now they stand in every bodies way

[He is a Cock would]

He is a Cock would
And would be a Cock if he could

[And his legs carried it like a long fork]

[Was I angry with Hayley who usd me so ill]

Was I angry with Hayley who usd me so ill
Or can I be angry with Felphams old Mill
Or angry with Flaxman or Cromek or Stothard
Or poor Schiavonetti whom they to death botherd
Or angry with Macklin or Boydel or Bowyer
Because they did not say O what a Beau ye are
At a Friends Errors Anger shew
Mirth at the Errors of a Foe

Blakes apology for his Catalogue

Having given great offence by writing in Prose
Ill write in Verse as soft as Bartolloze
Some blush at what others can see no crime in
But nobody sees any harm in Rhyming
Dryden in Rhyme cries Milton only plannd
Every Fool shook his bells throughout the land
Tom Cooke cut Hogarth down with his clean graving
Thousands of Connoisseurs with joy ran raving
Thus Hayley on his Toilette seeing the sope
Cries Homer is very much improvd by Pope
Some say Ive given great Provision to my foes
And that now I lead my false friends by the nose
Flaxman & Stothard smelling a sweet savour
Cry Blakified drawing spoils painter & Engraver
While I looking up to my Umbrella
Resolvd to be a very contrary fellow
Cry looking quite from Skumference to Center
No one can finish so high as the original Inventor
Thus Poor Schiavonetti died of the Cromek
A thing thats tied around the Examiners neck
This is my sweet apology to my friends
That I may put them in mind of their latter Ends

[Cosway Frazer & Baldwin of Egypts Lake]

Cosway Frazer & Baldwin of Egypts Lake
Fear to associate with Blake
This Life is a Warfare against Evils
They heal the sick he casts out devils
Hayley Flaxman & Stothard are also in doubt
Lest their Virtue should be put to the rout
One grins tother spits & in corners hides
And all the Virtuous have shewn their backsides

[My title as [a] Genius thus is provd]

My title as [a] Genius thus is provd
Not Praisd by Hayley nor by Flaxman lovd

To H

You think Fuseli is not a Great Painter Im Glad
This is one of the best compliments he ever had

[P--- loved me not as he lovd his Friends]

P--- loved me not as he lovd his Friends
For he lovd them for gain to serve his Ends
He loved me and for no Gain at all
But to rejoice & triumph in my fall

[The Sussex Men are Noted Fools]

The Sussex Men are Noted Fools
And weak is their brain pan
I wonder if H--- the painter
Is not a Sussex Man

[Of H]

Of H [OMITTED]s birth this was the happy lot
His Mother on his Father him begot

[To forgive Enemies H--- does pretend]

To forgive Enemies H--- does pretend
Who never in his Life forgave a friend

On H---ys Friendship

When H---y finds out what you cannot do
That is the very thing hell set you to
If you break not your Neck tis not his fault
But pecks of poison are not pecks of salt
And when he could not act upon my wife
Hired a Villain to bereave my Life

To H---

Thy Friendship oft has made my heart to ake
Do be my Enemy for Friendships sake

On H--- the Pick thank

I write the Rascal Thanks till he & I
With Thanks & Compliments are quite drawn dry

Imitation of Pope A Compliment to the Ladies

Wondrous the Gods more wondrous are the Men
More Wondrous Wondrous still the Cock & Hen
More Wondrous still the Table Stool & Chair
But Ah! More wondrous still the Charming Fair

William Cowper Esqre

[The only Man that eer I knew]

The only Man that eer I knew
Who did not make me almost spew
Was Fuseli he was both Turk & Jew
And so dear Christian Friends how do you do

[Madman I have been calld Fool they call thee]

Madman I have been calld Fool they call thee
I wonder which they Envy Thee or Me

To F---

I mock thee not tho I by thee am Mocked
Thou callst me Madman but I call thee Blockhead

[Hes a Blockhead who wants a proof of what he Can't Percieve]

Hes a Blockhead who wants a proof of what he Can't Percieve
And he's a Fool who tries to make such a Blockhead believe

To Nancy F---

How can I help thy Husbands copying Me
Should that make differences twixt me & Thee

To F---

You call me Mad tis Folly to do so
To seek to turn a Madman to a Foe
If you think as you speak you are an Ass
If you do not you are but what you was

[S--- in Childhood on the Nursery floor]

S--- in Childhood on the Nursery floor
Was extreme Old & most extremely poor
He is grown old & rich & what he will
He is extreme old & extreme poor still

[He has observd the Golden Rule]

He has observd the Golden Rule
Till hes become the Golden Fool

To S---d

You all your Youth observd the Golden Rule
Till youre at last become the golden fool
I sport with Fortune Merry Blithe & Gay
Like to the Lion Sporting with his Prey
Take you the hide & horns which you may wear
Mine is the flesh the bones may be your Share

On S---

You say reserve & modesty he has
Whose heart is iron his head wood & his face brass
The Fox the Owl the Beetle & the Bat
By sweet reserve & modesty get Fat

[old acquaintance well renew]

old acquaintance well renew
Prospero had One Caliban & I have Two

On F--- & S---

I found them blind I taught them how to see
And now they know neither themselves nor me
Tis Excellent to turn a thorn to a pin
A Fool to a bolt a Knave to a glass of gin

Mr Stothard to Mr Cromek

For Fortunes favours you your riches bring
But Fortune says she gave you no such thing
Why should you be ungrateful to your friends
Sneaking & Backbiting & Odds & Ends

Mr Cromek to Mr Stothard

Fortune favours the Brave old Proverbs say
But not with Money. that is not the way
Turn back turn back you travel all in vain
Turn thro the iron gate down Sneaking lane

[Cr--- loves artists as he loves his Meat]

Cr--- loves artists as he loves his Meat
He loves the Art but tis the Art to Cheat

[A Petty sneaking Knave I knew]

A Petty sneaking Knave I knew
O Mr Cr--- how do ye do

Cromek Speaks

I always take my judgment from a Fool
Because his judgment is so very Cool
Not prejudicd by feelings great or small
Amiable state he cannot feel at all

English Encouragement of Art

If you mean to Please Every body you will
Set to work both Ignorance & skill
For a great multitud are Ignorant
And skill to them seems raving & rant
Like putting oil & water into a lamp
Twill make a great splutter with smoke & damp
For there is no use as it seems to me
Of lighting a Lamp when you dont wish to see

English Encouragement of Art

[_]

[Final reading]

Cromeks opinions put into Rhyme

If you mean to Please Every body you will
Menny wouver both Bunglishness & skill
For a great Conquest are Bunglery
And Jenous looks to ham like mad Rantery
Like displaying oil & water into a lamp
Twill hold forth a huge splutter with smoke & damp
For its all sheer loss as it seems to me
Of displaying up a light when we want not to see

[When you look at a picture you always can see]

When you look at a picture you always can see
If a Man of Sense has Painted he
Then never flinch but keep up a Jaw
About freedom & Jenny suck awa'
And when it smells of the Lamp we can
Say all was owing to the Skilful Man
For the smell of water is but small
So een let Ignorance do it all

[The Cunning sures & the Aim at yours]

The Cunning sures & the Aim at yours

[All Pictures thats Panted with Sense & with Thought]

All Pictures thats Panted with Sense & with Thought
Are Painted by Madmen as sure as a Groat
For the Greater the Fool in the Pencil more blest
And when they are drunk they always pant best
Thy never can Rafael it Fuseli it nor Blake it
If they cant see an outline pray how can they make it
When Men will draw outlines begin you to jaw them
Madmen see outlines & therefore they draw them

[You say their Pictures well Painted be]

You say their Pictures well Painted be
And yet they are Blockheads you all agree
Thank God I never was sent to school
To be Flogd into following the Style of a Fool

[The Errors of a Wise Man make your Rule]

The Errors of a Wise Man make your Rule
Rather than the Perfections of a Fool

[Great things are done when Men & Mountains meet]

Great things are done when Men & Mountains meet
This is not done by Jostling in the Street

[If you play a Game of Chance know before you begin]

If you play a Game of Chance know before you begin
If you are benevolent you will never win

[No real Style of Colouring ever appears]

No real Style of Colouring ever appears
But advertising in the News Papers
Look there youll see Sr Joshuas Colouring
Look at his Pictures All has taken Wing

[Can there be any thing more mean]

Can there be any thing more mean
More Malice in disguise
Than Praise a Man for doing what
That Man does most despise
Reynolds Lectures Exactly so
When he praises Michael Angelo

[Sir Joshua Praises Michael Angelo]

Sir Joshua Praises Michael Angelo
Tis Christian Mildness when Knaves Praise a Foe
But Twould be Madness all the World would say
Should Michael Angelo praise Sir Joshua
Christ usd the Pharisees in a rougher way

[Sir Jo[s]hua praised Rubens with a Smile]

Sir Jo[s]hua praised Rubens with a Smile
By Calling his the ornamental Style
And yet his praise of Flaxman was the smartest
When he calld him the Ornamental Artist
But sure such ornaments we well may spare
As Crooked limbs & louzy heads of hair

Florentine Ingratitude

A Pitiful Case

To the Royal Academy

[The Cripple every step Drudges & labours]

The Cripple every step Drudges & labours
And says come learn to walk of me Good Neighbours
Sir Joshua in astonishment cries out
See what Great Labour Pain him & Modest Doubt
Newton & Bacon cry being badly Nurst
He is all Experiments from last to first
He walks & stumbles as if he crep
And how high labourd is every step

[I Rubens am a Statesman & a Saint]

I Rubens am a Statesman & a Saint
Deceptions? O no—so I'll learn to Paint

To English Connoisseurs

You must agree that Rubens was a Fool
And yet you make him master of your School
And give more money for his slobberings
Than you will give for Rafaels finest Things
I understood Christ was a Carpenter
And not a Brewers Servant my good Sir

[Swelld limbs, with no outline that you can descry]

Swelld limbs, with no outline that you can descry
That Stink in the Nose of a Stander by
But all the Pulp washd painted finishd with labour
Of an hundred Journeymens how dye do Neighbour

A Pretty Epigram for the Entertainment of those who have Paid Great Sums in the Venetian & Flemish Ooze

Nature & Art in this together Suit
What is Most Grand is always most Minute
Rubens thinks Tables Chairs & Stools are Grand
But Rafael thinks A Head a foot a hand

[These are the Idiots chiefest arts]

These are the Idiots chiefest arts
To blend & not define the Parts
The Swallow sings in Courts of Kings
That Fools have their high finishings
And this the Princes golden rule
The Laborious stumble of a Fool
To make out the parts is the wise mans aim
But to lose them the Fool makes his foolish Game

[Rafael Sublime Majestic Graceful Wise]

Rafael Sublime Majestic Graceful Wise
His Executive Power must I despise
Rubens Low Vulgar Stupid Ignorant
His power of Execution I must grant
Learn the Laborious stumble of a Fool
And from an Idiots Actions form my rule
Go send your Children to the Slobbering School

On the Great Encouragement Given by English Nobility & Gentry to Correggio Rubens Rembrandt Reynolds Gainsborough Catalani DuCrowe & Dilbury Doodle

As the Ignorant Savage will sell his own Wife
For a Sword or a Cutlass a dagger or Knife
So the Taught Savage Englishman spends his whole Fortune
On a smear or a squall to destroy Picture or Tune
And I call upon Colonel Wardle
To give these Rascals a dose of Cawdle

[Give pensions to the Learned Pig]

Give pensions to the Learned Pig
Or the Hare playing on a Tabor
Anglus can never see Perfection
But in the Journeymans Labour

[When I see a Rubens Rembrant Correggio]

When I see a Rubens Rembrant Correggio
I think of the Crippled Harry & Slobbering Joe
And then I question thus are artists rules
To be drawn from the works of two manifest fools
Then God defend us from the Arts I say
Send Battle Murder Sudden Death O pray
Rather than be such a blind Human Fool
Id be an Ass a Hog a Worm a Chair a Stool

[Delicate Hands & Heads will never appear]

Delicate Hands & Heads will never appear
While Titians &c as in the Book of Moonlight p 5

[I askd my Dear Friend Orator Prigg]

[O dear Mother outline of knowledge most sage]

O dear Mother outline of knowledge most sage
Whats the First Part of Painting she said Patronage
And what is the second to Please & Engage
She frownd like a Fury & said Patronage
And what is the Third she put off Old Age
And smild like a Syren & said Patronage

To Venetian Artists

That God is colouring Newton does shew
And the devil is a Black outline all of us know
Perhaps this little Fable may make us merry
A dog went over the water without a wherry
A bone which he had stolen he had in his mouth
He cared not whether the wind was north or south
As he swam he saw the reflection of the bone
This is quite Perfection, one Generalizing Tone
Outline Theres no outline Theres no such thing
All is Chiaro Scuro Poco Pen its all coloring
Snap. Snap! he has lost shadow & substance too
He had them both before now how do ye do
A great deal better than I was before
Those who taste colouring love it more & more

[Great Men & Fools do often me Inspire]

Great Men & Fools do often me Inspire
But the Greater Fool the Greater Liar

[Some people admire the work of a Fool]

Some people admire the work of a Fool
For its sure to keep your judgment cool
It does not reproach you with want of wit
It is not like a lawyer serving a writ

[Her whole Life is an Epigram smack smooth & neatly pend]

Her whole Life is an Epigram smack smooth & neatly pend
Platted quite neat to catch applause with a sliding noose at the end

[When a Man has Married a Wife he finds out whether]

When a Man has Married a Wife he finds out whether
Her knees & elbows are only glued together

[Grown old in Love from Seven till Seven times Seven]

Grown old in Love from Seven till Seven times Seven
I oft have wishd for Hell for Ease from Heaven

[The Hebrew Nation did not write it]

The Hebrew Nation did not write it
Avarice & Chastity did shite it

To God

If you have formd a Circle to go into
Go into it yourself & see how you would do

[Since all the Riches of this World]

Since all the Riches of this World
May be gifts from the Devil & Earthly Kings
I should suspect that I worshipd the Devil
If I thankd my God for Worldly things

[To Chloes breast young Cupid slily stole]

To Chloes breast young Cupid slily stole
But he crept in at Myras pocket hole

[Nail his neck to the Cross nail it with a nail]

Nail his neck to the Cross nail it with a nail
Nail his neck to the Cross ye all have power over his tail

[A Woman Scaly & a Man all Hairy]

A Woman Scaly & a Man all Hairy
Is such a Match as he who dares
Will find the Womans Scales scrape off the Mans Hairs

The Washer Womans Song

I washd them out & washd them in
And they told me it was a great Sin