Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827, BritishHand colored by William Blake, 1757–1827, BritishText by Edward Young, 1683–1765, BritishPublished by Richard Edwards, active 1796–1797, British
Title:
'Disease invades the chastest temperence' (Page 10)
Date:
ca. 1797
Materials & Techniques:
Etching, line engraving, and letterpress, with hand coloring in watercolor on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Spine: 16 3/4 inches (42.5 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Lettered inside image: "10 | What numbers, once in fortune's lap high-fed, | Solicit the cold hand of charity-- | To shock us more--solicit it in vain! | Ye silken sons of pleasure! since in pains | You rue more modish visits, visit here, | And breathe from your debauch: give, and reduce | Surfeit's dominion o'er you--but so great | Your impudence, you blush at what is right. | Happy! did sorrow seize on such alone: | Not prudence can defend, or virtue save: | * Disease invades the chastest temperance, | And punishment the guiltless; and alarm, | Through thickest shades pursues the fond of peace. | Man's caution often into danger turns, | And, his guard falling, crushes him to death. | Not happiness itself makes good her name; | Our very wishes give us not our wish: | How distant oft the thing we doat on most, | From that for which we doat, felicity! | The smoothest course of nature has its pains; | And truest friends, through error, wound our rest. | Without misfortune--what calamities! | And what hostilities--without a foe! | Nor are foes wanting to the best on earth: | But endless is the list of human ills, | And sighs might sooner fail, than cause to sigh. | A part how small of the terraqueous globe | Is tenanted by man! the rest a waste; | Rocks, deserts, frozen seas, and burning sands-- | Wild haunts of monsters, poisons, stings, and death:"; lower left: "Pubd. June 27th 1796, by R. Edwards, No. 142 New Bond Street."
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1978.43.1384
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
dogs (animals) | sleeping | sheep | literary theme | text | crooks | ears | floating | women | men | shepherds | vials | nudes
Currently On View:
Not on view
Exhibition History:
The Romantic Print in the Age of Revolutions: Hero, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History (Yale Center for British Art, 2003-01-23 - 2003-06-01)