Home / Authors / William Blake

William Blake Quotes

Poet

William Blake (November 28, 1757 - August 12, 1827) was an English Romantic poet, painter, and printmaker. Known for his unique visual art and profound philosophical thoughts, he is considered one of the most innovative poets in the history of English literature.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Art Joy Eye Heaven Ifs Love World Artist Eternity Imagination Desire Doe Life Night Religion Humans Soul Tears Delight

Famous William Blake Quotes

“The naked women's body is a portion of eternity too great for the eye of man.”

Men Body Eye Creative Eternity Naked Portions Women's Bodies

Author:William Blake

“Some will say, Is not God alone the Prolific? I answer, God only Acts & Is, in existing beings or Men.”

Men Answers Atheism Positive Atheism

Book:The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake

Source: The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake

“To Mercy Pity Peace and Love All pray in their distress, And to these virtues of delight Return their thankfulness. For Mercy Pity Peace and Love Is God our father dear. And Mercy Pity Peace and Love Is Man his child and care. Then every man of every clime That prays in his distress Prays to the human form divine: Love Mercy Pity Peace. And all must love the human form In heathen, Turk, or Jew. Where Mercy, Love and Pity dwell There God is dwelling too.”

Source: Songs of Innocence and Experience

“The Whole Business of Man is The Arts, & All Things Common.”

Men Art Whole Common Business All Things

Book:Complete writings: with variant readings

Source: Complete writings: with variant readings

“Let the men do their duty & the women will be such wonders; the female life lives from the light of the male: see a man's female dependants, you know the man.”

Knows Men Light Women Wonder He Man Duty Female Let Me Males

Author:William Blake

“Little fly, thy summer's play My thoughtless hand has brushed away. Am not I a fly like thee? Or art not thou a man like me? For I dance and drink and sing, Till some blind hand shall brush my wing!”

Men Littles Art Play Hands Animal Drink Summer Blind Wings Like Me Thee Animal Rights Brushes

Book:Collected Poems

Source: Collected Poems

“Innate ideas are in every man, born with him; they are truly himself. The man who says that we have no innate ideas must be a fool and knave, having no conscience or innate science.”

Men Ideas Born He Man Fool Conscience Every Man Innate Knaves

Book:Preface. General introduction index of symbols. Appendices: The book of Thel. Tiriel. Notes to Reynolds's Discourses. Descriptive catalogue of pictures. 1809. Prose from the Rossetti ms. Table of substituted capitals. Index to foot-notes, &c

Source: Preface. General introduction index of symbols. Appendices: The book of Thel. Tiriel. Notes to Reynolds's Discourses. Descriptive catalogue of pictures. 1809. Prose from the Rossetti ms. Table of substituted capitals. Index to foot-notes, &c

“What is it men in women do require: The lineaments of gratified desire. What is it women do in men require: The lineaments of gratified desire.”

Men Desire

Author:William Blake

“He who shall hurt the little wren Shall never be beloved by men.”

Men Littles Hurt Beloved Wrens

Author:William Blake

“The generations of men run on in the tide of time, but leave their destined lineaments permanent for ever and ever.”

Men Running Generations Permanent Tides Destined

Book:Blake: The Complete Poems

Source: Blake: The Complete Poems

“The inquiry in England is not whether a man has talents and genius, but whether he is passive and polite and a virtuous ass and obedient to noblemen's opinions in art and science. If he is, he is a good man. If not, he must be starved.”