"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is,infinite." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 14, "A Memorable Fancy," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957). "The Doors of Perception" was the title of Aldous Huxley's easy on his experience with mescaline (1954); the 1960s rock group The Doors also reputedly took their name from Blake's aphorism. Blake continued, "For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern."[/COLOR]
"You smile with pomp & rigor, you talk of benevolence & virtue;
I act with benevolence & virtue & get murdered time after time." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957). Jerusalem, ch. 4, plate 91 (1804-1820).
"Eternity is in love with the productions of time." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 7, "Proverbs of Hell," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars:
General Good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite, and flatterer,
For Art and Science cannot exist but in minutely organized Particulars." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. Jerusalem, ch. 3, plate 55 (c. 1820), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"The cistern contains: The fountain overflows." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 8, "Proverbs of Hell," (1790-1793).
"England! awake! awake! awake!
Jerusalem thy sister calls!
Why wilt thou sleep the sleep of death,
And close her from thy ancient walls?" William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. Jerusalem, plate 77, "To the Christians," (c. 1820), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius; lift up thy head!" William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 9 (1790-1793).
"What seems to be, is, to those to whom
It seems to be, and is productive of the most dreadful
Consequences to those to whom it seems to be, even of
Torments, despair, eternal death." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957). Jerusalem, ch. 2, plate 36 (1804-1820).
"The weak in courage is strong in cunning." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 9, "Proverbs of Hell," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 7, "Proverbs of Hell," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"What is a wife and what is a harlot? What is a church and what
Is a theatre? are they two and not one? can they exist separate?
Are not religion and politics the same thing? Brotherhood is religion,
O demonstrations of reason dividing families in cruelty and pride!" William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. Jerusalem, plate 57, repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"Without contraries is no progression.Attraction http://www.poemhunter.com/william-blake/quotations/page-4/#and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 3, "The Argument," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"When the painted birds laugh in the shade
When our table with cherries and nuts is spread:
Come live, and be merry, and join with me
To sing the sweet chorus of 'Ha, ha, he!'" William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, mystic. From SONGS OF INNOCENCE. Laughing Song (l. 9-12). . . The Complete Poems [William Blake]. Alicia Ostriker, ed. (1977) Penguin Books.
"A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 7, "Proverbs of Hell," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls" William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, mystic. London (l. 9-12). . . The Complete Poems [William Blake]. Alicia Ostriker, ed. (1977) Penguin Books.
"No bird soars too high, if he soars with his own wings." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 7, "Proverbs of Hell," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
"But most thro' midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born infants http://www.poemhunter.com/william-blake/quotations/page-4/#tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse" William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, mystic. London (l. 13-16). . . The Complete Poems [William Blake]. Alicia Ostriker, ed. (1977) Penguin Books.
"One thought fills immensity." William Blake (1757-1827), British poet, painter, engraver. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, plate 8, "Proverbs of Hell," (c. 1793), repr. In Complete Writings, ed. Geoffrey Keynes (1957).
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