Quotes from William Blake

Sooner strangle an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires.

How can the bird that is born for joy Sit in a cage and sing? How can a child, when fears annoy, But droop his tender wing, And forget his youthful spring?

When the stars threw down their spears And watered heaven with their tears: Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee? - The Tyger

The busy bee has no time for sorrow.

What is grand is necessarily obscure to weak men. That which can be made explicit to the idiot is not worth my care.

We become what we behold.

Fiery the Angels rose, & as they rose deep thunder roll'd Around their shores, indignant burning with the fires of Orc.

The weak in courage is strong in cunning.

Dip him in the river who loves water.

Oh! why was I born with a different face? why was I not born like the rest of my race? when I look,each one starts! when I speak, I offend; then Im silent & passive & lose every friend. Then my verse I dishonour, my pictures despise, my person degrade & my temper chastise; and the pen is my terror, the pencil my shame; all my talents I bury, and dead is my fame. Im either too low or too highly prized; when elate I m envy'd, when meek Im despis'd

excuse my enthusiasm or rather madness, for I am really drunk with intellectual vision whenever I take a pencil or graver into my hand.

He who replies to words of doubt doth put the light of knowledge out.

For Mercy has a human heart; Pity, a human face; And Love, the human form divine: And Peace the human dress. Songs of Innocence Cruelty has a human heart And jealousy a human face, Terror the human form divine, And secrecy the human dress. The human dress is forged iron, The human form a fiery forge, The human face a furnace seal'd, The human heart its hungry gorge. Songs of Experience - This poem was discovered posthumously.

thus men forgot that all deities reside in the human breast.

The moon, like a flower in heaven's high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night.

Always be ready to speak your mind and a base man will avoid you.

How do you know but ev'ry Bird that cuts the airy way, Is an immense world of delight, clos'd by your senses five?

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.

Cruelty has a human heart, And Jealousy a human face; Terror the human form divine, And Secresy the human dress. The human dress is forged iron, The human form a fiery forge, The human face a furnace sealed, The human heart its hungry gorge. - A DIVINE IMAGE

It is right it should be so; Man was made for joy and woe; And when this we rightly know, Thro' the world we safely go. Joy and woe are woven fine, A clothing for the soul divine. Under every grief and pine Runs a joy with silken twine. - Auguries of Innocence

The apple tree never asks the beech how he shall grow, nor the lion, the horse, how he shall take his prey.

And is he honest who resists his genius or conscience only for the sake of present ease or gratification

Can I see anothers woe, And not be in sorrow too. Can I see anothers grief, And not seek for kind relief. Can I see a falling tear. And not feel my sorrows share, Can a father see his child, Weep, nor be with sorrow fill'd. Can a mother sit and hear, An infant groan, an infant fear- No no never can it be, Never, never can it be. - On Anothers Sorrow

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.