Page:Life of William Blake, Pictor ignotus (Volume 1).djvu/276

 T. 5--53.] APPEAL TO PUBLIC. 231

almost have been counted on the han& Blake's work, indeed, lacks all the alluring grace of Stothard's felicitous composition, in which a wide range of previous ar is indirectly laid under contribution, or, to speak p]alnly, cribbed from, air the fashion of most well-educated historical painters; whereas Blake boldly and obstinately draws on his own resources. Bare where Stothard's composition is opulent yet challenging comparison as to the very qualities in which Blake was most deficient, his design creates an unfavourable impression before the superficial spectator has time to recognise it essential merits. A good notion of the work may be obtained from our reduced outline with the series of heads, on the same scale as the original, engraved below it. 'Hard and dry,' as Lamb observes, it is, muncouth compared with Stothard's; but, tested by the poetry and spirit of Chaucer, it is in all points of character and arrange. ment, undoubtedly superior. There is, too, a mediseval look about Blake's which does not distinguish Stothard's version.

I have heard that Blake retouched the plate of the Canty P�l'rnage, and did not improve it. There are impressions, rather black and heavy in effect, which would seem to confirm this rumour. To judicious counsel from a friend Blake was always amenable, but was stiflened in error by hostile criticisn Unaided by the former while at work on his fresco and engraving, he had been in the very worst mood for reall .ring. success, or even the harmonious exereise of his powers. He was in the temper to exaggerate his eccentricities, rather thanto modify them. If Cromek, instead of throwing up Blake's drawing when he could not dictate terms, had gone on and gently persuaded the designer to soften his pec,,llarities; or if Blake had suffered his design to be engraved by Schiavonetti, and doctored (as that engraver so well knew how) by correct, smooth uches, some of Blake's favourite hard, ' determinate outline' being sacrificed a little, a different fortune would have awaited the comlx Digitized by GOOdie