- Title:
- Night (Plate 30)
- Additional Title(s):
- Verso: Night (Plate 31)
- Part Of:
Collective Title: Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Copy F
- Date:
- 1789
- Materials & Techniques:
- Relief etching printed in green ink, with hand coloring in watercolor on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
- Dimensions:
- Sheet: 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches (18.4 x 12.1 cm), Plate: 4 3/8 x 2 3/4 inches (11.1 x 7 cm), Plate: 4 3/8 x 2 3/4 inches (11.1 x 7 cm)
- Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed in graphite, upper center: "17"
Lettered inside image: "Night. | The sun descending in the west. | The evening star does shine. | The birds are silent in their nest, | And I must seek for mine, | The moon like a flower. | In heavens high bower; | With silent delight. | Sits and smiles on the night. | Farewell green fields and happy groves. | Where flocks have took delight; | Where lambs have nibbled. silent moves | The feet of angels bright; | Unseen they pour blessing, | And joy without ceasing, | On each bud and blossom, | And each sleeping bosom. | They look in every thoughtless nest. | Where birds are coverd warm; | They visit caves of every beast, | To keep them all from harm: | If they see any weeping. | That should have been sleeping. | They pour sleep on their head | And sit down by their bed."; Lettered on verso, inside image: "When wolves and tygers howl for prey | They pitying stand and weep; | Seeking to drive their thirst away, | And keep them from the sheep. | But if they rush dreadful; | The angels most heedful, | Recieve each mild spirit. | New worlds to inherit. | And there the lions ruddy eyes, | Shall flow with tears of gold: | And pitying the tender cries. | And walking round the fold: | Saying: wrath by his meekness | And by his health, sickness, | Is driven away. | From our immortal day. | And now beside thee bleating lamb, | I can lie down and sleep; | Or think on him who bore thy name. | [Graze] after thee and weep. | For wash'd in lifes river, | My bright mane for ever. | Shall shine like the gold. | As I guard o'er the fold."
- Credit Line:
- Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
- Copyright Status:
- Public Domain
- Accession Number:
- B1978.43.1562
- Classification:
- Prints
- Collection:
- Prints and Drawings
- Subject Terms:
- angels | branches | garden | gowns | hills | historical subject | leaf | text | trees | vegetation | vines | wings | women
- 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:2508
- Export:
- XML
- IIIF Manifest:
- JSON
William Blake - His Art & Times (Art Gallery of Ontario, 1982-12-03 - 1983-02-06) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]
William Blake - His Art & Times (Yale Center for British Art, 1982-09-15 - 1982-11-14) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]