Twenty-Seven Drawings by William Blake - Being Illustrations for Paradise Lost, Comus, and the Bible

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 64374 *** TWENTY-SEVEN DRAWINGS by WILLIAM BLAKE TWENTY-SEVEN DRAWINGS by WILLIAM BLAKE BEING ILLUSTRATIONS FOR PARADISE LOST, COMUS and THE BIBLE CARL J. SMALLEY McPHERSON KANSAS Copyright, 1925, by Carl J. Smalley McPherson, Kansas Published in November, 1925 Of this edition 1050 copies were printed Printed by The Western Lithograph Co. at Wichita, Kansas In the United States of America FOREWORD William Blake was born in London in 1757, and in 1827 he departed for “that undiscovered country” which all his life he had wished to see. Throughout the century which has passed since Blake’s death, much has been written about him. During the past few years a goodly number of our greatest men of letters have issued books on his life, art, and writings. Many of his writings have gone through several editions, but it was only within the past year that his complete works were issued, and that in a limited edition, which was soon off the market. While from time to time volumes of reproductions of a part of Blake’s masterly engravings and drawings have been issued, a large portion of his finest creations, including the “Paradise Lost” series, has not been accessible in reproductions. It is a pleasure to be able to present in this volume, the “Paradise Lost” drawings, as well as the series for Milton’s “Comus”, and a group inspired by “The Bible”. All are reproduced from water color drawings in American museums. We are indebted to the Fogg Art Museum for the privilege of reproducing “The Angel Binding the Dragon”; to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for “She Shall be Called Woman”, “The Flight into Egypt”, “The Wise and Foolish Virgins”, and “The Angel of the Revelation”. All the remaining drawings have been reproduced through the kind permission of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. _C. J. S._ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The Promise of the Redemption The Creation of Eve Satan Watching Adam and Eve Raphael Conversing with Adam and Eve The Downfall of the Rebel Angels The Temptation of Eve The Expulsion from Eden The Prophecy of the Crucifixion Adam and Eve Sleeping “Starlight”--Comus Holds the Enchanting Cup Comus Disguised as a Rustic Addressing the Lady in a Wood The Brothers, as Described by Comus, Plucking Grapes The Attendant Spirit Habited Like a Shepherd Meets the Two Brothers in the Wood The Magic Banquet The Brothers Overcome Comus Sobrina Disenchanting the Lady The Parents Welcome Their Children She Shall be Called Woman David and Goliath The King of Babylon in Hell The Vision of Ezekiel The Plague The Flight into Egypt The Wise and Foolish Virgins The Woman Taken in Adultery The Angel of the Revelation The Angel Binding the Dragon ILLUSTRATIONS FOR PARADISE LOST [Illustration: _The Creation of Eve_] [Illustration: _Satan Watching Adam and Eve_] [Illustration: _Raphael Conversing with Adam and Eve_] [Illustration: _The Downfall of the Rebel Angels_] [Illustration: _The Temptation of Eve_] [Illustration: _The Expulsion from Eden_] [Illustration: _The Prophecy of the Crucifixion_] [Illustration: _Adam and Eve Sleeping_] ILLUSTRATIONS FOR COMUS [Illustration: _“Starlight”--Comus Holds the Enchanting Cup_] [Illustration: __Comus Disguised as a Rustic Addressing the Lady in a Wood_] [Illustration: _The Brothers, as Described by Cornus, Plucking Grapes_] [Illustration: _The Attendant Spirit Habited Like a Shepherd Meets the Two Brothers in the Wood_] [Illustration: _The Magic Banquet_] [Illustration: _The Brothers Overcome Comus_] [Illustration: _Sobrina Disenchanting the Lady_] [Illustration: _The Parents Welcome Their Children_] ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE BIBLE [Illustration: _She Shall be Called Woman_] [Illustration: _David and Goliath_] [Illustration: _The King of Babylon in Hell_] [Illustration: _The Vision of Ezekiel_] [Illustration: _The Plague_] [Illustration: _The Flight into Egypt_] [Illustration: _The Wise and Foolish Virgins_] [Illustration: _The Woman Taken in Adultery_] [Illustration: _The Angel of the Revelation_] [Illustration: _The Angel Binding the Dragon_] * * * * * IN THE MOUNTAINS A book of fine reproductions of Birger Sandzen’s prints of the Rocky Mountains. 20 Lithographic Plates Introduction by William Allen White Quarto, printed on Old Stratford Paper, bound in gray boards, $3.00 Limited autographed edition of 125 copies, bound in Library Buckram, containing an original signed lithograph, $15.00 SMALLEY’S McPHERSON · · KANSAS *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 64374 ***