Notebook of William Blake

The Notebook [Butlin #201] consists of 58 leaves and contains autograph drafts by Blake of poems and prose with numerous sketches and designs, mostly in pencil.

[1] At first the Notebook belonged to Blake's favourite younger brother and pupil Robert who made a few pencil sketches and ink-and-wash drawings in it.

All together the Notebook contains about 170 poems plus fragments of prose: Memoranda (1807), Draft for Prospectus of the Engraving of Chaucer's Canterbury Pilgrims (1809), Public Address (1810), A Vision of the Last Judgment (1810).

Colour and metre, these are the true patents of nobility in painting and poetry, taking precedence of all intellectual claims; and it is by virtue of these, first of all, that Blake holds, in both arts, a rank which cannot be taken from him.

Some of them reflect the political and social climate of that time: ✶✶✶ Why should I care for the men of thames Or the cheating waves of charterd streams Or shrink at the little blasts of fear That the hireling blows into my ear

And then the Knave begins to snarl And the Hypocrite to howl And all his good Friends shew their private ends And the Eagle is known from the Owl[9] This motto, which was never engraved by Blake, is not found in any copy of the Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

The Atoms of Democritus And Newtons Particles of light Are sands upon the Red sea shore Where Israels tents do shine so bright[10] The most of 92 texts of this section are epigrams, gnomic verses or fragments addressed to Blake's friends and enemies, to painters and poets as well as some different historical or mythological characters and even to God.

[14] But there in "Jerusalem" at the beginning of the chapter 4 ("To the Christians") it is given in a combination with other 4 mysterious lines: The Notebook is full of Blake's sketches and designs almost on every page.

Here are some examples: Ah luckless babe born under cruel star And in dead parents baleful ashes bred Full little weenest thou what sorrows are Left thee for portion of thy livelihedSpenser

Notebook, p 114 rev , contains " "I asked a thief to steal me a peach…" , "I heard an Angel singing…" , A Cradle Song (Blake, 1794) and Christian Forbearance (the draft of " A Poison Tree ")
Ideas of Good & Evil, p.4
" The Tyger (1st draft) ", p.109
" Why should I care for the men of Thames ...", p.113 rev
" Silent, Silent Night ...", p.113 rev
Motto to the Songs of Innocence and of Experience , p.101 rev
Mock on, Mock on, Voltaire, Rousseau , p.7
"Was I angry with Hayley who us'd me so ill..." , p.23
" To God ", p.73
"The Angel that presided o'er my birth..." , p.32
" "I give you the end of a golden string..." , p.46