Having given great offence by writing in Prose
Edited text:[1][edit]
80
[Blake's apology for his Catalogue]
Having given great offence by writing in Prose,
I'll write in Verse as soft as Bartolloze.
Some blush at what others can see no crime in,
But nobody sees any harm in Rhyming.
Dryden, in Rhyme, cries "Milton only plann'd."
Every Fool shook his bells throughout the land.
Tom Cooke cut Hogarth down with his clean graving.
Thousands of Connoisseurs with joy ran raving.
Thus, Hayley on his Toilette seeing the sope,
Cries, "Homer is very much improv'd by Pope."
Some say I've given great Provision to my foes,
And that now I lead my false friends by the nose.
Flaxman and Stothard, smelling a sweet savour
Cry, "Blakified drawing spoils painter and Engraver,"
While I, looking up to my Umbrella,
Resolv'd to be a very contrary fellow,
Cry, looking quite from Skumference to Center,
"No one can finish so high as the original Inventor."
Thus poor Schiavonetti died of the Cromek
A thing that's tied around the Examiner's neck.
This is my sweet apology to my friends,
That I may put them in mind of their latter Ends.
________________________________________
The original text:[2][edit]
[Blakes apology for his Catalogue]
Having given great offence by writing in Prose
Ill write in Verse as Soft as Bartolloze
Some blush at what others can see no crime in
But nobody sees any harm in Rhyming
5Dryden in Rhyme cries Milton only plannd
Every Fool shook his bells throughout the land
Tom Cooke cut Hogarth down with his clean graving
Thousands of Connoisseurs with joy ran raving
Thus Hayley on his Toilette seeing the Sope
10Cries Homer is very much improvd by Pope
Some say Ive given great Provision to my foes
And that now I lead my false friends by the nose
Flaxman & Stothard smelling a sweet savour
Cry Blakified drawing spoils painter & Engraver
15While I looking up to my Umbrella
Resolvd to be a very contrary fellow
Cry looking quite from Skumference to Center
No one can finish so high as the original Inventor
Thus Poor Schiavonetti died of the Cromek
20A thing thats tied around the Examiners neck
This is my sweet apology to my friends
That I may put them in mind of their latter Ends
________________________________________
Notes[edit]
- ↑ "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 555-556.
- ↑ "The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake", ed. by David V. Erdman, Anchor Books, 1988, p. 505.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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