Письма Уильяма Блейка/Джону Флаксману 12 сентября 1800

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http://www.blakearchive.org/exist/blake/archive/erdman.xq?id=b15.11

11 t

[To] Mr[John] Flaxman, Buckingham Street,

Fitzroy Square

[Postmark: 2 o'clock 12 Sp. 1800] My Dearest Friend, It is to you I owe All my present Happiness It is to you I owe perhaps the Principal Happiness of my life. I have presumd on your friendship in staying so long away & not calling to know of your welfare but hope, now every thing is nearly completed for our removal [from]<to> Felpham, that I shall see you on Sunday as we have appointed Sunday afternoon to [ca]ll on M* Flaxman at Hempstead. I send you a few lines which I hope you will Excuse. And As the time is now arrivd when Men shall again converse in Heaven & walk with Angels I know you will be pleased with the Intention & hope you will forgive the Poetry.

To My Dearest Friend John Flaxman

these lines I bless thee O Father of Heaven & Earth that ever I saw Flaxmans face Angels stand round my Spirit in Heaven. the blessed of Heaven are my friends upon Earth When Flaxman was taken to Italy. Fuseli was giv'n to me for a season And now Flaxman hath given me Hayley his friend to be mine such my lot upon Earth Now my lot in the Heavens is this; Milton lovd me in childhood & shewd me his face Ezra came with Isaiah the Prophet, but Shakespeare in riper years gave me his hand Paracelsus & Behmen appeard to me. terrors appeard in the Heavens above [Begin Page 708] And in Hell beneath & a mighty & awful change threatend the Earth The American War began All its dark horrors passed before my face Across the Atlantic to France. Then the French Revolution commencd in thick clouds And My Angels have told me. that seeing such visions I could not subsist on the Earth But by my conjunction with Flaxman who knows to forgive Nervous Fear I remain for Ever Yours

WILLIAM BLAKE

Be so kind as to Read & then Seal the Inclosed & send it on its much beloved Mission