Quotes By William Blake

Better murder an infant in its cradle than nurse an unacted desire.

If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.

He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars: general Good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite, and flatterer, for Art and Science cannot exist but in minutely organized Particulars.

Want of money and the distress of a thief can never be alleged as the cause of his thieving, for many honest people endure greater hardships with fortitude. We must therefore seek the cause elsewhere than in want of money, for that is the miser's passion, not the thief s.

The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: the bad artist seems to copy a great deal; the good one really does.

For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life.

Both read the Bible day and night, but thou read black where I read white.

Prudence is a rich, ugly, old maid courted by incapacity.

It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.

When a sinister person means to be your enemy, they always start by trying to become your friend.

The man who never in his mind and thoughts travel'd to heaven is no artist.

If a thing loves, it is infinite.

What is a wife and what is a harlot? What is a church and what is a theatre? are they two and not one? Can they exist separate? Are not religion and politics the same thing? Brotherhood is religion. O demonstrations of reason dividing families in cruelty and pride!

If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately go out.

You cannot have Liberty in this world without what you call Moral Virtue, and you cannot have Moral Virtue without the slavery of that half of the human race who hate what you call Moral Virtue.

He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.

The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.

Great things are done when men and mountains meet.

He who binds to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity's sun rise.

Those who restrain their desires, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.