Page:The poetical works of William Blake - lyrical and miscellaneous.djvu/343

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XIII.

AN ANSWER TO THE PARSON.

WHY of he sheep do you not learn peace A "Became I don't want you to shear my fleece."

XIV.

HE Angbl that presided o'er my birth Said: "Little creature, formed of joy and mirth, live without the help of anything on earth."

XV.

Reason

YOU don't believe I would attempt to make you: You are asleep,--I won't attempt to wake you. Sleep on, sleep on; while in your pleasant dreams Of Reason, you may drink of Life's clear streams. Reason and Newton, they are quite two things; For so the swallow and the sparrow sings. Reason says "Miracle:" Newton says "Doubt:" Ay, that's the way to make all Nature out ! Doubt, doubt, and don't believe without experiment. That is the very thing that Jesus meant, When he said, "Only believe,--believe, and try :" Try, try, and never mind the reason why.