“He who replies to words of doubt
doth put the light of knowledge out.”
Source: Auguries of Innocence
“The weak in courage is strong in cunning.”
Source: 1790s, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790–1793), Proverbs of Hell, Line 49
“thus men forgot that all deities reside in the human breast.”
Source: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790–1793), Proverbs of Hell, Line 71
Context: The ancient poets animated all objects with Gods or Geniuses, calling them by the names and adorning them with the properties of woods, rivers, mountains, lakes, cities, nations, and whatever their enlarged & numerous senses could perceive. And particularly they studied the genius of each city & country, placing it under its mental deity; Till a system was formed, which some took advantage of, & enslav'd the vulgar by attempting to realize or abstract the mental deities from their objects: thus began priesthood; Choosing forms of worship from poetic tales. And at length they pronounc'd that the Gods had order'd such things. Thus men forgot that all deities reside in the human breast.
“The busy bee has no time for sorrow.”
Source: 1790s, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790–1793), Proverbs of Hell, Line 11
Source: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
“When nations grow old, the Arts grow cold,
And Commerce settles on every tree.”
On Art And Artists (1800) 'On the Foundation of the Royal Academy'
America, A Prophecy.
1800s
Source: America: A Prophecy/Europe: A Prophecy: Facsimile Reproductions of Two Illuminated Books