Page:The letters of William Blake (1906).djvu/50

 xliv conversing with Farinata degli Uberti among the fiery Tombs"; "Antæus setting down Dante and Virgil in the last Circle," in which the giant, who is a grandly drawn figure, clinging on to the rock with his left hand, is bending over the precipice, as, with his right, he puts the two down together upon a rocky platform below; "The Ascent of the Mountain of Purgatory"; and "Dante and Statius sleeping, Virgil watching," with the vision of Rachel and Leah in the moon. The last engraving ever executed by Blake was the message card which he did for his friend Cumberland. It is signed "W. Blake, inv. & sc. A. Æ, 70, 1827." A minutely executed allegorical design surrounds the name "Mr. Cumberland," printed in bastard Gothic letters, showing the punishment which awaits cruelty to animals, and the reward of industry and innocence. On one side, below, are two figures; one with a snare, the other flying two birds at the end of strings, upon whom a reaping angel with a sickle is descending,—the intention being shown by some growing oats close by. On the other side, three rejoicing angels are appearing to an upward floating figure with a distaff. Near them a child is bowling a hoop through the sky. The story of how, at the very end, upon his deathbed, he finished for Tatham the illuminated print of "The Ancient of Days striking the first Circle