(28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827)
“Blake was prolific” Is an understatement. Here are some tidbits of his thoughts. Below that are links to Blake at other sites.
I’ve been examining Blake for about half a day and my opinion of him varies as I delve deeper. His concept of “free love” appealed to a young me, but an experienced me considers the idea often selfish and inconsiderate. I find his art beautiful and mildly provocative but some of his works could have inspired horror movies.
I like the following quotes.
“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
― William Blake, Auguries of Innocence
“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern.”
― William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
“The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity… and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.”
― William Blake