Relief etching printed in brown ink, with watercolor and pen and black ink on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 7 1/2 x 5 3/8 inches (19.1 x 13.7 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Lettered inside image: "On Anothers Sorrow | Can I see anothers woe. | And not be in sorrow too. | Can I see anothers grief. | And not seek for kind relief. | Can I see a falling tear. | And not feel my sorrows share, | Can a father see his child, | Weep, nor be with sorrow fill'd. | Can a mother sit and hear. | An infant groan an infant fear -- | No no never can it be; | Never never can it be. | And can he who smiles on all | Hear the wren with sorrows small. | Hear the small birds grief & care | Hear the woes that infants bear | And not sit beside the nest | Pouring pity in their breast. | And not sit the cradle near | Weeping tear an infants tear. | And not sit both night & day, | Wiping all our tears away. | O! no never can it be. | Never never can it be. | He doth give his joy to all. | He becomes an infant small. | He becomes a man of woe | He doth feel the sorrow too. | Think not, thou canst sigh a sigh, | And thy maker is not by. | Think not, thou canst weep a tear, | And thy maker is not near. | O! he gives to us his joy. | That our grief he may destroy | Till our grief is fled & gone | He doth sit by us and moan"; Lettered on verso, inside image: "Spring | Sound the Flute! | Now it's mute. | Birds delight | Day and Night. | Nightingale | In the dale | Lark in Sky | Merrily | Merrily Merrily to welcome in the (Year | Little Boy | Full of joy. | Little"
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection