[To] Mr Butts, Gr Marlborough Street

Felpham Novr. 22: 1802

Dear Sir

My Brother tells me that he fears you are offended with me. I fear so too because there appears some reason why you might be so. But when you have heard me out you will not be so

I have now given two years to the intense study of those parts of the art which relate to light & shade & colour & am Convincd that either my understanding is incapable of comprehending the beauties of Colouring or the Pictures which I painted for You Are Equal in Every part of the Art& superior in One to any thing that has been done since the age of Rafael.--<All> Sr J Reynolds's discourses <to the Royal Academy> will shew. that the Venetian finesse in Art can never be united with the Majesty of Colouring necessary to Historical beauty. & in a letter to the Revd Mr Gilpin author of a work on Picturesque Scenery he says Thus ≥It may be worth consideration whether the epithet Picturesque is not applicable to the excellencies of the inferior Schools rather than to the higher. The works of Michael Angelo Rafael &c appear to me to have nothing of it: whereas Rubens & the Venetian Painters may almost be said to have Nothing Else.--Perhaps Picturesque is somewhat synonymous to the word Taste which we should think improperly applied to Homer or Milton but very well to Prior or Pope. I suspect that the application of these words are to Excellencies of an inferior order & which are incompatible with the Grand Style You are certainly right in saying that Variety of Tints& Forms is Picturesque: but it must be rememberd on the other hand.

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that the reverse of this--(uniformity of Colour& a long continuation of lines) produces Grandeur≤------So Says Sir Joshua and So say I for I have now proved that the parts of the art which I neglected to display in those little pictures & drawings which I had the pleasure & profit to do for you are incompatible with the designs--There is nothing in the Art which our Painters do. that I can confess myself ignorant of I also Know & Understand & can assuredly affirm that the works I have done for You are Equal to Carrache or Rafael (and I am now Seven years older than Rafael was when he died) I say they are Equal to Carrache or Rafael or Else I am Blind Stupid Ignorant and Incapable in two years Study to understand those things which a Boarding School Miss can comprehend in a fortnight. Be assured My dear Friend that there is not one touch in those Drawings & Pictures but what came from my Head & my Heart in Unison. That I am Proud of being their Author and Grateful to you my Employer. & that I look upon you as the Chief of my Friends whom I would endeavour to please because you among all men have enabled me to produce these things. I would not send you a Drawing or a Picture till I had again reconsiderd my notions of Art & had put myself back as if I was a learner I have proved that I am Right & shall now Go on with the Vigor I was in my Childhood famous for

But I do not pretend to be Perfect. but if my Works have faults Caracche Corregios & Rafaels have faults also. let me observe that the yellow leather flesh of old men the ill drawn & ugly young women & above all the dawbed black & yellow shadows that are found in most fine ay & the finest pictures. I altogether reject as ruinous to Effect tho Connoisseurs may think otherwise.

Let me also notice that Carraches Pictures are not like Correggios nor Correggios like Rafaels & if neither of them was to be encouraged till he did like any of the others be must die without Encouragement My Pictures are unlike any of these Painters & I would have them to be so I think the manner I adopt More Perfect than any other no doubt They thought the same of theirs

You will be tempted to think that As I improve The Pictures &c that I did for you are not what I would now wish them to be. On this I beg to say That they are What I intended them & that I know I never shall do better for if I was to do them over again they would lose as much as they gaind because they were done in the heat of My Spirits

But You will justly enquire why I have not written All this time to you? I answer I have been very Unhappy & could not think of troubling you about it or any of my real Friends (I have written many letters to you which I burnd & did not send) & why I have not before now finishd the Miniature I promissd to Mrs Butts? I answer I have not till now in any degree pleased myself & now I must intreat you to Excuse faults for Portrait Painting is the direct contrary to Designing & Historical Painting in every respect--If you have not Nature before you for Every Touch you cannot Paint Portrait. & if you have Nature before you at all you cannot Paint History it was Michall Angelos opinion & is Mine. Pray Give My Wife's love with mine to Mrs Butts assure her that it cannot be long before I have the pleasure of Painting from you in Person & then that She may Expect a likeness but now I have done All I

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could & know she will forgive any failure in consideration of the Endeavour.

And now let me finish with assuring you that Tho I have been very unhappy I am so no longer I am again Emerged into the light of Day I still& shall to Eternity Embrace Christianity and Adore him who is the Express image of God but I have traveld thro Perils & Darkness not unlike a Champion I have Conquerd and shall still Go on Conquering Nothing can withstand the fury of my Course among the Stars of God & in the Abysses of the Accuser My Enthusiasm is still what it was only Enlarged and confirmd

I now Send Two Pictures & hope you will approve of them I have inclosed the Account of Money recievd & Work done which I ought long ago to have sent you pray forgive Errors in omissions of this kind I am incapable of many attentions which it is my Duty to observe towards you thro multitude of employment & thro hope of soon seeing you again I often omit to Enquire of you But pray let me now hear how you do & of the welfare of your family Accept my Sincere love & respect

I remain Yours Sincerely

WILLm BLAKE

A Piece of Sea Weed Serves for a Barometer [i]t gets wet & dry as the weather gets so