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Creator:
William Blake, 1757–1827
Text by Thomas Gray, 1716–1771
Title:
"A brace of warriors... rustling in their silks and tissues..."(Design 27)
Additional Title(s):

Verso: "Bewitch'd the children of the peasants..." (Design 28)

A Long Story
Part Of:

Collective Title: The Poems of Thomas Gray

Date:
between 1797 and 1798
Materials & Techniques:
Watercolor with pen and black ink and graphite on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper with inlaid letterpress page
Dimensions:
Sheet: 16 1/2 x 12 3/4 inches (41.9 x 32.4 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Inscribed in gray ink upper right: "5"; on verso in gray ink upper left: "6"; in graphite center: "x"

Lettered on inlaid page: "A LONG STORY, 67 | The first came cap-a-pee from France | Her conqu'ring destiny fulfilling, | Whom meaner beauties eye askance, | And vainly ape her art of killing. | The other Amazon kind heaven | Had arm'd with spirit, wit, and satire: | But Cobham had the polish given, | And tipp'd her arrows with good-nature. | To celebrate her eyes, her hair-- | Coarse panegyrics would but teaze her. | Melissa is her Nom de Guerre. | Alas, who would not wish to please her! | With bonnet blue and capuchin, | And aprons long they hid their armour, | And veil'd their weapons bright and keen | In pity to the country-farmer. | Fame"; Lettered on verso, on inlaid page: "68 A LONG STORY. | Fame in the shape of Mr. P--tt | (By this time all the parish know it) | Had told, that thereabouts there lurk'd | A wicked Imp they call a Poet; | Who prowl'd the country far and near, | Bewitch'd the children of the peasants, | Dried up the cows, and lam'd the deer, | And suck'd the eggs, and kill'd the pheasants. | My Lady heard their joint petition, | Swore by her coronet and ermine, | She'd issue out her high commission | To rid the manor of such vermin. | The Heroines undertook the task, | Thro' lanes unknown, o'er stiles they ventur'd, | Rapp'd at the door, nor stay'd to ask, | But bounce into the parlour enter'd. | The"

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.11(14)
Classification:
Drawings & Watercolors
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
chicken | chicks | children | dresses | fan | fence | geese | hat | house | leaf | literary theme | man | piglets | stairs | text | trees | vines | wall | window | women
Access:
Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details.
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:3614
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Colin Cross, Blake revealed, William Blake : Discovery of a Masterwork , Observer, vol. 12, November 21, 1971, pp. 19-23, V 1245 Detached from Observer colour magazine [ORBIS]

John Russell, Blake the Craftsman, Art , Sunday Times, Issue no. 7749, December 12, 1971, p. 27, Sunday Times Digital Archive [ORBIS]

Arnold Fawcus, Unknown Watercolours by William Blake, Illustrated London News, vol. 259, No. 6881, December 25, 1971, pp. 45-46, 49-51, Illustrated London News Historical Archive [ORBIS]


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