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pre…eminent in illustrated literature。 Measuring time by poets； he may be
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said to have lent something of his fancy and amenity to most of the writers
from Cowper to Rogers。 As a draughtsman he is undoubtedly weak：
his figures are often limp and invertebrate； and his type of beauty insipid。
Still； regarded as groups； the majority of his designs are exquisite； and he
possessed one all…pervading and un…English qualitythe quality of grace。
This is his dominant note。 Nothing can be more seductive than the suave
flow of his line； his feeling for costume； his gentle and chastened humour。
Many of his women and children are models of purity and innocence。
But he works at ease only within the limits of his special powers； he is
happier in the pastoral and domestic than the heroic and supernatural； and
his style is better fitted to the formal salutations of 〃Clarissa〃 and 〃Sir
Charles Grandison；〃 than the rough horse…play of 〃Peregrine Pickle。〃
Where Rowlandson would have revelled； Stothard would be awkward and
constrained； where Blake would give us a new sensation； Stothard would
be poor and mechanical。 Nevertheless the gifts he possessed were
thoroughly recognised in his own day； and brought him； if not riches； at
least competence and honour。 It is said that more than three thousand of
his drawings have been engraved； and they are scattered through a
hundred publications。 Those to the 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃 and the poems
of Rogers are commonly spoken of as his best； though he never excelled
some of the old…fashioned plates （with their pretty borders in the style of
Gravelot and the Frenchmen） to Richardson's novels； and such forgotten
〃classics〃 as 〃Joe Thompson〃； 〃Jessamy；〃 〃Betsy Thoughtless；〃 and one or
two others in Harrison's very miscellaneous collection。
Stothard was fortunate in his engravers。 Besides James Heath； his
best interpreter； Schiavonetti； Sharp； Finden； the Cookes； Bartolozzi； most
of the fashionable translators into copper were busily employed upon his
inventions。 Among the rest was an artist of powers far greater than his
own； although scarcely so happy in turning them to profitable account。
The genius of William Blake was not a marketable commodity in the same
way as Stothard's talent。 The one caught the trick of the time with his
facile elegance； the other scorned to make any concessions； either in
conception or execution； to the mere popularity of prettiness。
〃Give pensions to the learned pig； Or the hare playing on a tabor；
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Anglus can never see perfection But in the journeyman's labour；〃 …
he wrote in one of those rough…hewn and bitter epigrams of his。 Yet
the work that was then so lukewarmly receivedif； indeed； it can be said
to have been received at allis at present far more sought after than
Stothard's； and the prices now given for the 〃Songs of Innocence and
Experience；〃 the 〃Inventions to the Book of Job；〃 and even 〃The Grave；〃
would have brought affluence to the struggling artist； who （as Cromek
taunted him） was frequently 〃reduced so low as to be obliged to live on
half a guinea a week。〃 Not that this was entirely the fault of his
contemporaries。 Blake was a visionary； and an untuneable man； and； like
others who work for the select public of all ages； he could not always
escape the consequence that the select public of his own； however willing；
were scarcely numerous enough to support him。 His most individual
works are the 〃Songs of Innocence；〃 1789； and the 〃Songs of Experience；〃
1794。 These； afterwards united in one volume； were unique in their
method of production； indeed； they do not perhaps strictly come within the
category of what is generally understood to be copperplate engraving。
The drawings were outlined and the songs written upon the metal with
some liquid that resisted the action of acid； and the remainder of the
surface of the plate was eaten away with aqua…fortis； leaving the design in
bold relief； like a rude stereotype。 This was then printed off in the
predominant tone blue； brown； or yellow； as the case might beand
delicately tinted by the artist in a prismatic and ethereal fashion peculiarly
his own。 Stitched and bound in boards by Mrs。 Blake； a certain number
of these leafletstwenty…seven in the case of the first issuemade up a tiny
octavo of a wholly exceptional kind。 Words indeed fail to exactly
describe the flower…like beautythe fascination of these 〃fairy missals；〃 in
which； it has been finely said； 〃the thrilling music of the verse； and the
gentle bedazzlement of the lines and colours so intermingle； that the mind
hangs in a pleasant uncertainty as to whether it is a picture that is singing；
or a song which has newly budded and blossomed into colour and form。〃
The accompanying woodcut； after one of the illustrations to the 〃Songs of
Innocence；〃 gives some indication of the general composition； but it can
convey no hint of the gorgeous purple； and crimson； and orange of the
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original。
Of the 〃Illustrations to the Book of Job；〃 1826； there are excellent
reduced facsimiles by the recently…discovered photo…intaglio process； in
the new edition of Gilchrist's 〃Life。〃 The originals were engraved by
Blake himself in his strong decisive fashion； and they are his best work。
A kind of deisidaimoniaa sacred awe falls upon one in turning over
these wonderful productions of the artist's declining years and failing
hand。
〃Leaving the old； both worlds at once they view； That stand upon the
threshold of the new；〃
sings Waller； and it is almost possible to believe for a moment that
their creator was （as he said） 〃under the direction of messengers from
Heaven。〃 But his designs for Blair's 〃Grave；〃 1808； popularised by the
burin of Schiavonetti； attracted greater attention at the time of publication；
and； being less rare； they are even now perhaps better known than the
others。 The facsimile here given is from the latter book。 The worn old
man； the trustful woman； and the guileless child are sleeping peacefully；
but the king with his sceptre； and the warrior with his hand on his sword…
hilt； lie open…eyed； waiting the summons of the trumpet。 One cannot
help fancying that the artist's long vigils among the Abbey tombs； during
his apprenticeship to James Basire； must have been present to his mind
when he selected this impressive monumental subject。
To one of Blake's few friendsto the 〃dear Sculptor of Eternity；〃 as he
wrote to Flaxman from Felphamthe world is indebted for some notable
book illustrations。 Whether the greatest writersthe Homers； the
Shakespeares； the Dantescan ever be 〃illustrated〃 without loss may fairly
be questioned。 At all events； the showy dexterities of the Dores and
Gilberts prove nothing to the contrary。 But now and then there comes to
the graphic interpretation of a great author an artist either so reverential； or
so strongly sympathetic at some given point； that； in default of any relation
more narrowly intimate； we at once accept his conceptions as the best
attainable。 In this class are Flaxman's outlines to Homer and AEschylus。
Flaxman was not a Hellenist as men are Hellenists to… day。 Nevertheless；
his Roman studies had saturated him with the spirit of antique beauty； and
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by his grand knowledge of the nude； his calm； his restraint； he is such an
illustra