Page:William Blake, painter and poet.djvu/85

Rh Blake meant, in his own words, "whatever assumes the reality of the natural and unspiritual world," Robinson was naturally aghast when Locke was classed with atheists, and ventured what must have appeared to him the conclusive rejoinder that Locke had written in defence of Christianity. Blake, who probably understood Robinson's definition of atheism as little as Robinson did his, "made no reply." Some of Blake's remarks are well worthy of preservation." Art is inspiration. When Michael

With Dreams upon my Bed thou scarest me. From the "Book of Job." By W. Blake.

Angelo, or Raphael, or Mr. Flaxman does any of his fine things, he does them in the spirit." "Irving is a sent man. But they who are sent go further sometimes than they ought." "Dante saw devils where I see none."

Dante must have been much in Blake's thoughts just then, for Robinson found him occupied with the long series of illustrations of the poet commissioned by Linnell, the last important work of his life. The