Free The Portable William Blake by William Blake Page A

was, only Enlarged and confirmed.
     
    We do not know—his only name for his “guilt” remains “selfhood”—that is, the full force of his individual claim to self-assertion. Blake was a prophet who was not delivered by his own prophecy. But if he succumbed at all to the “Accuser,” he did more than anyone else to expose him. If he failed at the complete harmony to which all his own thought is directed, it is because man, though he is a little world in himself, is little indeed when measured against the whole of a creation that was not made for him alone—or for him to know everlasting certainty in it. Blake’s tragedy was the human tragedy, made more difficult because his own fierce will to a better life prevented him from accepting any part of it. Laboring after the infinite, he felt himself shadowed by the Accuser. That is the personal cost he paid for his vision, as it helps us to understand his need of a myth that would do away with tragedy. But as there is something deeper than tragedy in Blake’s life, so at the heart of his work there is always the call to us to recover our lost sight. Blake was a man who had all the contraries of human existence in his hands, and he never forgot that it is the function of man to resolve them.
     
    Men are admitted into Heaven not because they have curbed & govern’d their Passions, or have no Passions, but because they have cultivated their Understandings.
    ALFRED KAZIN

PROSPECTUS
    October 10, 1793.
    TO THE PUBLIC
     
    The Labours of the Artist, the Poet, the Musician, have been proverbially attended by poverty and obscurity; this was never the fault of the Public, but was owing to a neglect of means to propagate such works as have wholly absorbed the Man of Genius. Even Milton and Shakespeare could not publish their own works.
    This difficulty has been obviated by the Author of the following productions now presented to the Public; who has invented a method of Printing both Letter-Press and Engraving in a style more ornamental, uniform, and grand, than any before discovered, while it produces works at less than one fourth of the expense.
    If a method of Printing which combines the Painter and the Poet is a phenomenon worthy of public attention, provided that it exceeds in elegance all former methods, the Author is sure of his reward.
    Mr. Blake’s powers of invention very early engaged the attention of many persons of eminence and fortune; by whose means he has been regularly enabled to bring before the Public works (he is not afraid to say) of equal magnitude and consequence with the productions of any age or country: among which are two large highly finished engravings (and two more are nearly ready) which will commence a Series of subjects from the Bible, and another from the History of England.
    The following are the Subjects of the several Works now published and on Sale at Mr. Blake’s, No. 13, Hercules Buildings, Lambeth.
    1. Job, a Historical Engraving. Size 1 ft. 7½ in. by 1 ft 2 in.: price 12s.
    2. Edward and Elinor, a Historical Engraving. Size 1 ft. 6½ in. by 1 ft.: price 10s. 6d.
    3. America, a Prophecy, in Illuminated Printing. Folio, with 18 designs: price 10s. 6d.
    4. Visions of the Daughters of Albion, in Illuminated Printing. Folio, with 8 designs, price 7 s. 6 d.
    5. The Book of Thel, a Poem in Illuminated Printing. Quarto, with 6 designs, price 3s.
    6. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, in Illuminated Printing. Quarto, with 14 designs, price 7s. 6d.
    7. Songs of Innocence, in Illuminated Printing. Octavo, with 25 designs, price 5 s .
    8. Songs of Experience, in Illuminated Printing. Octavo, with 25 designs, price 5s.
    9. The History of England, a small book of Engravings. Price 3 s .
    10. The Gates of Paradise, a small book of Engravings. Price 3 s .
    The Illuminated Books are Printed in Colours, and on the most beautiful wove paper that could be procured.
    No Subscriptions for the numerous great works now in hand are asked, for none are wanted;