Inspirational Quotes by William Blake (English Poet)

William Blake (1757–1827) was an English artist, engraver, mystical philosopher, visionary, and poet. His watercolors and engravings, like his writings, were appreciated fully only after his death. His poems denote the beginning of romanticism and a rejection of the Age of Enlightenment.

Blake was born in Soho, London, where he lived most of his life. His early childhood was dominated by spiritual visions that influenced his personal and working life. Instead of going to school, he was apprenticed to an engraver; there, he learned skills he was to use throughout his career as a poet.

In 1784, Blake set up a print shop, but the business struggled within a few years. For the rest of his life, Blake eked out a living as an engraver and illustrator. Blake always wrote out poems by hand on an engraving plate, rather than using type, engraved illustrations and hand-colored them—he was concerned with the presentation of his poetry as well as the words themselves.

Blake’s first book, Poetical Sketches, was published in 1783. He produced his most famous works, Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794,) by engraving both the words and the pictures on the same plate; this was his distinctive style. The Songs of Innocence are simple poems, written as if spoken by children. They are generally hopeful and optimistic. However, the Songs of Experience are also childlike in approach, but darker and more pessimistic. Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience had sold fewer than 20 copies in 30 years.

At the time of his death, Blake was an unknown figure, best remembered for his engravings of other peoples’ work, or perhaps for his one famous poem, “The Tyger.” Among those familiar with his life’s work, the consensus was that he was insane. It wasn’t until 30 years after his death that a husband-and-wife team, Alexander and Anne Gilchrist, published a two-volume biography of Blake that firmly established him as a brilliant and vital artist.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William Blake

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
Topics: Perception

The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.
—William Blake

He who binds to himself a joy
Doth the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in Eternity’s sunrise.
—William Blake
Topics: Life, Joy, Attitude, Excitement, Work, Win

Where mercy, love, and pity dwell there God is dwelling too.
—William Blake

The pride of the peacock is the glory of God.
—William Blake
Topics: Pride

Life delights in life.
—William Blake
Topics: Happiness

You cannot have Liberty in this world without what you call Moral Virtue, and you cannot have Moral Virtue without the slavery of that half of the human race who hate what you call Moral Virtue.
—William Blake
Topics: Liberty

Each outcry of the hunted hare A fiber from the brain doth tear.
—William Blake
Topics: Animals

What is the price of experience?. Do men buy it for a song?. Or wisdom for a dance in the street?. No, it is bought with the price of all the man hath, his house, his wife, his children.
—William Blake
Topics: Wisdom

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.
—William Blake
Topics: Friendship

Nature in darkness groans and men are bound to sullen contemplation in the night: restless they turn on beds of sorrow; in their inmost brain feeling the crushing wheels, they rise, they write the bitter words of stern philosophy and knead the bread of knowledge with tears and groans.
—William Blake
Topics: Oppression

When the sun rises, do you not see a round disc of fire somewhat like a guinea? O no, no, I see an innumerable company of the heavenly host crying Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.
—William Blake
Topics: Prophecy

The weak in courage is strong in cunning.
—William Blake
Topics: Intelligence, Cunning

The best wine is the oldest, the best water the newest
—William Blake
Topics: One liners

Those who restrain their desires, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.
—William Blake
Topics: Desires

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
—William Blake
Topics: Christians, Christianity

You smile with pomp and rigor, you talk of benevolence and virtue; I act with benevolence and virtue and get murdered time after time.
—William Blake
Topics: Religion

If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they’d immediately go out.
—William Blake
Topics: Doubt

The bird a nest
the spider a web
the human friendship.
—William Blake
Topics: Friendship

For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life.
—William Blake
Topics: Life and Living

When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius; lift up thy head!
—William Blake
Topics: Animals, Birds

Nothing can be more contemptible than to suppose Public Records to be true.
—William Blake
Topics: Bureaucracy

The Goddess Fortune is the devil’s servant, ready to kiss any one’s ass.
—William Blake
Topics: Luck

The generations of men run on in the tide of time, but leave their destined lineaments permanent for ever and ever.
—William Blake
Topics: Generations

Does a firm persuasion that a thing is so, make it so? He replied, “All poets believe it does. And in ages of imagination, this firm persuasion removes mountains; but many are not capable of firm persuasion of anything”.
—William Blake
Topics: Believe

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
—William Blake

Can I see another’s woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another’s grief, and not seek for kind relief?
—William Blake
Topics: Sympathy

If a thing loves, it is infinite.
—William Blake
Topics: Love

Always be ready to speak your mind, and a base man will avoid you.
—William Blake
Topics: Sincerity, Candor

The busy bee has no time for sorrow.
—William Blake
Topics: Busy

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Inspirational Quotes by William Blake (English Poet)

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