Songs of Innocence

by William Blake

Book Overview

An exquisite edition of William Blake's Songs of Innocence, accompanied by an introduction to his life and work.

One of the most important books of illustrated poetry in English literature, William Blake's Songs of Innocence was meticulously relief-etched, printed, and colored in 1789. A unique work of composite art, Song of Innocence contains some of Blake's most enduring and popular poems, delicately illustrated...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1851246428
• ISBN13: 9781851246427
• Release Date: November 2024
• Publisher: Bodleian Library
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

From humility, genius.

Dover has done the reading world an enormous favor by keeping books like this available in low-cost editions. Poems like "The Little Black Boy," The Chimney Sweeper," and "The Lamb" are among the sweetest, saddest lyrics ever penned by a poet in English. Reading these poems in an edition that provides facsimile color reproductions of the original watercolor plates (painted individually by hand) helps in our perception of them. These poems were meant to be absorbed visually. Branches, vines and leaves weave through the lines as we read. Of course children can appreciate the sentiment and charm of the poems, but older readers will see their sharp social criticism as well, especially when balanced against matching poems in Blake's "Songs of Experience." This book has my favorite pastoral lyics in the language. It is a permanent contribution to the spirit of humankind.