Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827, BritishHand colored by William Blake, 1757–1827, BritishText by Edward Young, 1683–1765, BritishPublished by Richard Edwards, active 1796–1797, British
Title:
'When faith is virtue, reason makes it so' (Page 92)
Date:
ca. 1797
Materials & Techniques:
Etching, line engraving, and letterpress, with hand coloring in watercolor on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Spine: 16 3/4 inches (42.5 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Lettered inside image: "92 | Live thou with life; live dearer of the two. | Wear I the blessed cross, by fortune stamp'd | On passive nature before thought was born? | My birth's blind bigot! fired with local zeal! | No; reason rebaptized me when adult; Weigh'd true and false in her impartial scale; | My heart became the convert of my head; | And made that choice, which once was but my fate. | On argument alone my faith is built: | Reason pursued is faith; and, unpursued | Where proof invites, 'tis reason then no more: | And such our proof, that, or our faith is right, | Or reason lies, and heaven design'd it wrong: | Absolve we this? what then is blasphemy? | Fond as we are, and justly fond of faith, | Reason, we grant, demands our first regard; | The mother honour'd, as the daughter dear. | Reason the root; fair faith is but the flower: | The fading flower shall die; but reason lives | Immortal as her father in the skies. | *When faith is virtue, reason makes it so. | Wrong not the christian; think not reason your's; | Tis reason our great master holds so dear; | 'Tis reason's injured rights his wrath resents; | 'Tis reason's voice obey'd, his glories crown; | To give lost reason life, HE pour'd his own: | Believe, and shew the reason of a man; | Believe, and taste the pleasure of a God; | Believe, and look with triumph on the tomb: | Through reason's wounds alone thy faith can die,"; lower right: "in & s | WB"
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1978.43.1415
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
scales (weighing devices) | crowns | women | paper | text | literary theme
Currently On View:
Not on view
Exhibition History:
The Romantic Print in the Age of Revolutions: Hero, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History (Yale Center for British Art, 2003-01-23 - 2003-06-01)