Life of William Blake (1880), Volume 1

by Alexander Gilchrist, Anne Gilchrist

LIFE

OF

WILLIAM BLAKE.

I assert for myself that I do not behold the outward creation, and that to me it is hindrance and not action. "What!" it will be questioned, "when the sun rises, do you not see a round disc of fire somewhat like a guinea?" Oh! no, no! I see an innumerable company of the heavenly host, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!" I question not my corporeal eye any more than I would question a window concerning a sight. I look through it and not with it.—Blake, A Vision of the Last Judgment.

Fac-simile of a Portrait on Ivory

Painted from life by John Linnell, 1827.

Engraved by C. H. Jeens.

LIFE

OF

WILLIAM BLAKE

WITH SELECTIONS FROM HIS POEMS AND OTHER WRITINGS

BY

ALEXANDER GILCHRIST

OF THE MIDDLE TEMPLE, BARRISTER-AT-LAW
AUTHOR OF "THE LIFE OF WILLIAM ETTY, R.A."

 

A NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION

ILLUSTRATED FROM BLAKE'S OWN WORKS

WITH ADDITIONAL LETTERS AND A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR

 

IN TWO VOLUMES

VOL. I.

 

London

MACMILLAN AND CO.

1880

 

The Right of Translation is Reserved

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

 

In 1878 thirty-four autograph letters from William Blake to Hayley were sold by Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson. Thanks to the courtesy of the gentlemen into whose possession a large proportion of the letters ultimately passed,—Mr. Frederick Locker and Mr. Alexander Macmillan,—these, and a few more obtained from the same source (one by the British Museum and the others by Mr. Kirby), are now incorporated in the Biography, and carry on the narrative of Blake's life during the two years immediately succeeding his return from Felpham. In the same way the letters to Mr. Butts, generously placed in my hands by his grandson, Captain Butts, just before the appearance of the first edition, and there printed in Vol. II., are now put in their place, making the Felpham chapters mainly autobiographical.

The two friends whose labour of love wrought so largely to give completeness to the first issue of this book have revised and, especially in the case of the Annotated Catalogue, brought up to date their work; whilst another friend, Mr. Frederic J. Shields, out of the same warmth of admiration for Blake's genius and character, has freely rendered precious service with pen and pencil further to enrich the new edition. He has supplied a vigorous translation into words of the more pregnant among the large and important series of Designs by Blake to Young's Night Thoughts, which has lately come to light, and is now in the possession of Mr. Bain, of the Haymarket—the series of which a very small portion only was engraved by Blake for Edwards's edition of 1797. Mr. Shields has also drawn, from original pencil sketches by Blake, two new portraits of Mrs. Blake and the head of Blake by himself, which was somewhat roughly given in the first edition. Lastly, he has adapted a fairy design of Blake's own to the cover.

From America has come help in the shape of some admirable examples of engraver's work, four of which are from designs by Blake never before reproduced, and two are from the Grave. These were executed to illustrate an article on Blake, by Mr. Horace Scudder, in Scribner's Magazine, June, 1880; and to the courtesy of Messrs. Scribner & Co., of New York, we are indebted for the use of the blocks.

Of additional illustrations there remain to be specified a newly discovered design to Hamlet (from a copy of the Second Folio Shakespeare containing also several other designs by Blake, and now in possession of Mr. Macmillan); another plate from the Jerusalem; the Phillips portrait of Blake, which Schiavonetti engraved for Blair's Grave; a view of Blake's Cottage at Felpham and of his Work Room and Death Room in Fountain Court, both drawn by Herbert H. Gilchrist; and, last not least, the Inventions to the Book of Job executed anew by the recently discovered photo-intaglio process.

In Vol. II. will also now be found an Essay on Blake, by James Smetham, republished (by permission) from the London Quarterly Review. Its fine qualities and its inaccessibility will, I feel assured, make it welcome here as an important accession to a work which aims to gather to a focus all the light that can be shed on Blake and on the creations of his genius.

Anne Gilchrist.

Keats Corner, Well Road, Hampstead,
Oct. 10, 1880.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

One short word of sorrowful significance which has had to be inserted in the title-page, while it acquaints the reader with the peculiar circumstances under which this Biography comes before him, seems also to require a few words about its final preparation for the press; the more so as the time which has elapsed since the Life of Blake was first announced might otherwise lead to a wrong inference respecting the state in which it was left by the beloved author when he was seized, in the full tide of health and work and happy life, with the fever which, in five days, carried him hence. The Life was then substantially complete; and the first eight chapters were already printed. The main services, therefore, which the Work has received from other hands—and great they are—appear in the Second Part and in the Appendix: in the choice and arrangement of a large collection of Blake's unpublished and hitherto almost equally inaccessible published Writings, together with introductory remarks to each Section; and in a thorough and probably exhaustive Annotated Catalogue of his Pictorial Works. The first of these services—the editorship, in a word, of the Selections—has been performed by Mr. Dante Gabriel Rossetti; the second by his brother, Mr. William Rossetti. To both of these friends, admiration of Blake's genius and regard for the memory of his biographer have made their labour so truly a labour of love that they do not suffer me to dwell on the rare quality or extent of the obligation.

To the Life itself one addition has been made,—that of a Supplementary Chapter, in fulfilment of the Author's plan. He left a memorandum to the effect that he intended writing such a chapter, and a list of the topics to be handled there, but nothing more. This also Mr. D. G. Rossetti has carried into execution; and that the same hand has filled in some blank pages in the Chapter on the Inventions to the Book of Job the discerning reader will scarcely need to be told.

The only other insertions remaining to be particularized are the accounts of such of Blake's Writings as it was decided not to reprint in the Second Part; chiefly of the class he called Prophecies. I could heartily wish the difficult problem presented by these strange Books had been more successfully grappled with, or indeed grappled with at all. Hardly anything has been now attempted beyond bringing together a few readable extracts. But however small may be the literary value of the Europe, America, Jerusalem, &c., they are at least psychologically curious and important; and should the opportunity arise, I hope to see these gaps filled in with workmanship which shall better correspond with that of the rest of the fabric. In speaking of the Designs which accompany the Poems in question, I was not left wholly without valued aid.

To Mr. Samuel Palmer and Mr. William Haines, to Mr. Linnell and other of Blake's surviving friends, and to the possessors of his works, grateful acknowledgments of the services rendered are due, in various ways, by each and all to enhance the completeness of the following record of the fruitful life and lahours of William Blake. In my dear husband's name, therefore, I sincerely thank these gentlemen.

Anne Gilchrist.

May 15th, 1863,
Brookbank, near Haslemere.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

BIOGRAPHY.

CHAPTER I.
	PAGE
Preliminary	1
CHAPTER II.
Childhood	5
CHAPTER III.
Engraver's Apprentice	12
CHAPTER IV.
A Boy's Poems	23
CHAPTER V.
Student and Lover	28
CHAPTER VI
Introduction to the Polite World	43
CHAPTER VII.
Struggle and Sorrow	51
CHAPTER VIII.
Meditation: Notes on Lavater	61
CHAPTER IX.
Poems of Manhood: Songs of Innocence	68
CHAPTER X.
Books of Prophecy: Thel, Marriage of Heaven and Hell	76
CHAPTER XI.
Bookseller Johnson's	89
CHAPTER XII.
The Gates of Paradise, Visions of the Daughters of Albion, The 'America'	98
CHAPTER XIII.
The Songs of Experience	116
CHAPTER XIV.
Productive Years : Europe, Urizen, The Song of Los, Ahania	124
CHAPTER XV.
At Work for the Publishers	134
CHAPTER XVI.
A New Life	142
CHAPTER XVII.
Poet Hayley and Felpham	156
CHAPTER XVIII.
Working Hours: Letters to Butts	165
CHAPTER XIX.
Trial for Sedition	190
CHAPTER XX.
South Molton Street: Letters to Hayley	201
CHAPTER XXI.
The Jerusalem and the Milton	226
CHAPTER XXII.
A Keen Employer	246
CHAPTER XXIII.
Gleams of Patronage	256
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Designs to Blair	265
CHAPTER XXV.
Appeal to the Public	273
CHAPTER XXVI.
Engraver Cromek	283
CHAPTER XXVII.
Years of Deepening Neglect	291
CHAPTER XXVIII.
John Varley and the Visionary Heads	298
CHAPTER XXIX.
Opinions: Notes on Reynolds	305
CHAPTER XXX.
Designs to Phillips's Pastorals	317
CHAPTER XXXI.
Fountain Court	321
CHAPTER XXXII.
Inventions to the Book of Job	327
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Hampstead; and Youthful Disciples	337
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Personal Details	348
CHAPTER XXXV.
Mad or not Mad	362
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Declining Health; Designs to Dante; Mr. Crabb Robinson's Reminiscences; Notes on Wordsworth	375
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Last Days	403
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Posthumous	407
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Supplementary	413

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

VOLUME I.
	Drawn by	Engraved by	Page
Portrait of Blake, from a miniature painted in 1827	John Linnell	C. H. Jeens	Frontispiece
From America	Blake	W. J. Linton	Title-page to Biography
From Illustrations of the Book of Job	Blake	W. J. Linton	1
Glad Day. Block lent by Messrs. Scribner & Co.	Blake		29
Plague. From a Water-colour Drawing	Blake	W. J. Linton	54
Infant Joy. From Songs of Innocence. Block lent by Messrs. Scribner & Co.	Blake	J. F. Jungling	68
Nebuchadnezzar. From Pencil-Drawing in Rossetti's MS. Note-book	Blake	W. J. Linton	88
Illustration for Wollstonecraft's Tales for Children. From the original Drawing	Blake	W. J. Linton	90
From Visions of the Daughters of Albion	Blake	W. J. Linton	97, 103
Gates of Paradise. Eight Plates. Facsimiles	Blake	W. J. Linton	98, 100, 102
From America	Blake	W. J. Linton	108, 110
From Europe	Blake	W. J. Linton	124, 126
Elijah in the Chariot of Fire. From a Colour-printed Design. (See Vol. II., p. 209. No. 23.) Block lent by Messrs. Scribner & Co.	Blake		128
Young burying Narcissa (?) India-ink Drawing. Block lent by Messrs. Scribner and Co.	Blake	J. Hellawell	134
"Are glad when they can find the Grave." From the MS. Note-book. (See Vol, II, p. 259. No. 27 F)	Blake	W. J. Linton	141
From Visions of the Daughters of Albion	Blake	W. J. Linton	155
Blake's Cottage at Felpham. Photo-Intaglio	Herbert H. Gilchrist	Typographic Etching Co.	150
From the MS. Note-book	Blake	W. J. Linton	225
Vala Hyle, Skofeld. From Jerusalem	Blake	Typographic Etching Co.	230
Border from Jerusalem	Blake	W. J. Linton	232, 233, 234
Full-page ,,⁠,,	Blake	W. J. Linton	226
⁠,,⁠,,⁠,,	Blake	W. J. Linton	236
⁠,,⁠,,⁠,,	Blake	W. J. Linton	238
⁠,,⁠,,⁠,,	Blake	W. J. Linton	240
Tail- and Head-pieces from Jerusalem	Blake	W. J. Linton	27, 50, 51, 115, 264
Portions of Pages from the same	Blake	W. J. Linton	239, 240
From Milton.—Blake's Cottage at Felpham	Blake	W. J. Linton	245
Death's Door. From Blair's Grave. Block lent by Messrs. Scribner & Co.	Blake		269
Counsellor, King, Warrior, Mother and Child in the Tomb. From the same. Block lent by Messrs. Scribner & Co.	Blake		270
Design from Hamlet. From Water-colour Drawing	Blake	J. D. Cooper	272
Visionary Heads. From Pencil Drawings	Blake	W. J. Linton	299
From the same.—The Man who built the Pyramids, Edward I., William Wallace, Edward III	Blake	W. J. Linton	300
Ghost of a Flea	Blake	W. J. Linton	303
The Accusers of Theft, Adultery, Murder	Blake	W. J. Linton	304
Designs to Phillips's Pastorals, Blake's own Wood-blocks	Blake	Blake	320
Plan of Blake's Room in Fountain Court	F. J. Shields		322
Behemoth and Leviathan. From the Illustrations to Job	Blake	W. J. Linton	336
Blake's Work-room and Death-room	Herbert H. Gilchrist	Typographic Etching Co.	348
Catherine Blake. From a Pencil-Drawing by her Husband, (Photo-Intaglio)	F. J. Shields	Typographic Etching Co.	361
Catherine and William Blake. From Pencil-outline in MS. Note-book. (Photo-Intaglio)	F. J. Shields	Typographic Etching Co.	374
The Circle of the Traitors. From Dante	Blake	W. J. Linton	377
Mr. Cumberland's Card-plate.	Blake	W. J. Linton	399
From Design for Blair's Grave	Blake	W. J. Linton	406
Mrs. Blake in Age	Tatham.	W. J. Linton	412
VOLUME II.
	Drawn by	Engraved by	Page
Portrait of Blake. By T. Phillips, R. A., Etched by Schiavonetti for Blair's Grave. Photo-Intaglio		Typographic Etching Co.	Frontispiece
Design from Visions of the Daughters of Albion	Blake	W. J. Linton	Title-page to Selections
Canterbury Pilgrimage (reduced). The Heads under it are Facsimiles	Blake	W. J. Linton	144
Illustrations of the Book of Job. Twenty-one Photo-Intaglios		Typographic Etching Co.	204
Songs of Innocence. Seven of the Original Plates			204
Songs of Experience. Nine of the Original Plates			204
Tail-piece. From Vision of the Daughters of Albion			376

The design on the cover is adapted, by Mr. Frederic J. Shields, from a rough sketch in Blake's MS. Note-book, for a picture which was exhibited some years ago at Manchester, but did not find its way to the Burlington Fine Art Club Exhibition of Blake's works. The angelic figure on the back of the volume is from one of the designs to Young's Night Thoughts.