Page:The letters of William Blake (1906).djvu/44

 xxxviii the current towards the sources of light. Near these, a woman in a pale yellow dress, who is floating above the river, is bending down and taking up water in a cup to drink. On either side of these central figures is a beautiful female figure piping to them. In the latter part of the year 1804, Blake began the series of drawings for Blair's Grave, which he completed the following year, and of which a selection were, in 1806, engraved by Schiavonetti. The originals have now almost all disappeared, and the reference to them in the letter from Flaxman to Hayley, dated 18th October 1805, is particularly interesting, as among those mentioned by him as being the most striking is a drawing with the remarkable title of "The Gambols of the Ghosts according with their Affections previous to the Final Judgment," now lost. A good deal of Blake's time at this period was also taken up with the collection of materials for Hayley's Life of Romney and the engraving of a plate for this work, as well as of a portrait of Romney, which was not used. He still found time, however, for some original work as well; for in May 1805 he was able to deliver a dozen water-colours to Butts. Among them was the admirable design of "The Wise and Foolish Virgins," of which he afterwards executed the replica for Sir Thomas Lawrence, already alluded to. To 1806