- Title:
- "Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise." (Design 21)
- Additional Title(s):
Verso: Boys Playing a Top (Design 22)
Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College- Part Of:
- Date:
- between 1797 and 1798
- Materials & Techniques:
- Watercolor with pen and black ink and graphite on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper with inlaid letterpress page
- Dimensions:
- Sheet: 16 1/2 x 12 3/4 inches (41.9 x 32.4 cm)
- Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed in gray ink upper right: "9"; in graphite upper center: "+"; on verso in black ink upper left: "10"; in gray ink upper center: "A Long Story | Design | 1. A Circular Dance | 2. Fairness riding on Flies | 3. 'An ancient Pile of Building which | Employd the power of Fairy hands' | 4. 'The Seals & Maces danced before him' | 5. A brace of warriors' | 6. Bewitchd the children of the Peasants' | 7. Upstairs in a whirlwind rattle' | 8. Out of the window whisk they flew' | 9. 'At the Chapel door stand centry' | 10. 'A sudden fit of ague shook him' | 11. 'My Lady rose & with a grace | She smild & bid him come to dinner' | 12. 'Guard us from long winded lubbers | That to Eternity would sing | And keep My Lady from her rubbers' "
Lettered on inlaid page: "OF ETON COLLEGE. 61 | And happiness too swiftly flies. | Thought would destroy their paradise. | No more--where ignorance is bliss, | 'Tis folly to be wise. | E2 A LONG"
- Credit Line:
- Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
- Copyright Status:
- Public Domain
- Accession Number:
- B1992.8.11(11)
- Classification:
- Drawings & Watercolors
- Collection:
- Prints and Drawings
- Subject Terms:
- boy | boys | branches | hat | literary theme | text | toy | trees | vials | wind
- Access:
- Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details. - Link:
- https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:3608
- Export:
- XML
- IIIF Manifest:
- JSON
Colin Cross, Blake revealed, William Blake : Discovery of a Masterwork , Observer, vol. 12, November 21, 1971, pp. 19-23, V 1245 Detached from Observer colour magazine [ORBIS]
John Russell, Blake the Craftsman, Art , Sunday Times, Issue no. 7749, December 12, 1971, p, 27, Sunday Times Digital Archive [ORBIS]
Arnold Fawcus, Unknown Watercolours by William Blake, Illustrated London News, vol. 259, No. 6881, December 25, 1971, pp. 45-46, 49-51, Illustrated London News Historical Archive [ORBIS]