. Songs of innocence. ting in a few of those faultless fragments ofchildish rhyme which float without name or formupon the memories of men shall we find such apure, clean cadence of verse, such rapid ring andflow of lyric laughter, such sweet and direct choiceof the just word and figure, such an impeccablesimplicity; nowhere but here such a tender wisdomof holiness, such a light and perfume of good truth, none but a seer could have writtenthese songs. The two centuries have not yetpassed since the days of Fuseli, during which he 13 SONGS OF INNOCENCE declared the countr
. Songs of innocence. ting in a few of those faultless fragments ofchildish rhyme which float without name or formupon the memories of men shall we find such apure, clean cadence of verse, such rapid ring andflow of lyric laughter, such sweet and direct choiceof the just word and figure, such an impeccablesimplicity; nowhere but here such a tender wisdomof holiness, such a light and perfume of good truth, none but a seer could have writtenthese songs. The two centuries have not yetpassed since the days of Fuseli, during which he 13 SONGS OF INNOCENCE declared the country must advance in civilizationbefore it can appreciate Blake (Life of WilliamBlake, by Alexander Gilchrist. Macmillan, 1863).But if that time of appreciation should ever arrive,it will then be seen that only a man, not of visions,but of The Vision—a man of the deepest spiritualinsight into the mysteries of life, can thus speakas from the faultless lips of children. F. B. MONEY-COUTTS. PROPERTY OFTHE CITY OF NEW YORK. Introduction PIPING down the valleys wild,Piping songs of pleasant glee, On a cloud I saw a child,And he laughing said to me : Pipe a song about a lamb ! So I piped with merry cheer. iC Piper, pipe that song again ; So 1 piped : he wept to hear. u SONGS OF INNOCENCE Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe ; Sing thy songs of happy cheer ! So I sang the same again, While he wept with joy to hear. Piper, sit thee down and write In a book that all may read;So he vanished from my sight;And I plucked a hollow reed, And I made a rural pen, And I stained the water clear, And I wrote my happy songsEvery child may joy to hear. 16 SONGS OF INNOCENCE The Shepherd How sweet is the shepherds sweet lot !From the morn to the evening he strays;He shall follow his sheep all the day,And his tongue shall be rilled with praise. For he hears the lambs innocent call,And he hears the ewes tender reply ;He is watchful ; while they are in peace,For they know when their shepherd is nigh. SONGS OF I
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