| William Blake (1757–1827). The Poetical Works. 1908. | | | | On Art and Artists | | To Venetian Artists |
| | XXXII THAT God is colouring Newton does show, | |
| And the Devil is a black outline, all of us know. | |
| Perhaps this little fable may make us merry: | |
| A dog went over the water without a wherry; | |
| A bone which he had stolen he had in his mouth; | 5 |
| He cared not whether the wind was north or south. | |
| As he swam he saw the reflection of the bone. | |
| ‘This is quite perfection—one generalizing tone! 1 | |
| Outline! There’s no outline, there’s no such thing: | |
| All is chiaroscuro, poco-pen—it’s all colouring!’ | 10 |
| Snap, snap! He has lost shadow and substance too. | |
| He had them both before. ‘Now how do ye do?’ | |
| ‘A great deal better than I was before: | |
| Those who taste colouring love it more and more.’ | |
| | | Note 1. XXXII 8 Here ’s two for one, what a brilliant tone MS. 1st rdg. del. 9, 10 A marginal addition. [back] | | |
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