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100 Inspirational Quotes By William Blake That Will Motivate You To Go For Your Goals

Famous As: English Poet Who is Considered a Seminal Figure in the History of the Poetry of the Romantic Age
Born On: November 28, 1757
Died On: August 12, 1827
Born In: London, England, United Kingdom
Died At Age: 69

William Blake was a renowned poet and print-maker from Britain. The London-born artist produced some of the greatest engravings of all time such as the Illustrations of the Book of Job. Here we bring to you interesting pieces of tidbits from the life of this famous artist. Blake recognized his calling since an early age and his parents were supportive of him. They sent Blake to Henry Pars’s Drawing School in London for formal training when William was only ten.

After drawing school, Blake apprenticed with James Basire, who taught him the ropes of engraving.

When he started out as a professional engraver, Blake would engrave copies of other artists work but eventually he progressed to developing his own designs.

While he spent most of his life in obscurity, Blake's engravings are now considered as prized possessions and are valued in millions. Not many know but Blake was also a mystic who experienced visions on several occasions. He once envisioned God “put his head to the window” and in another of his visions he saw his deceased brother’s “released spirit ascend heavenward through the matter-of-fact ceiling, ‘clapping its hands for joy.’”

In the segment below we bring to you inspirational quotes by the famous artist and poet William Blake.

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To see a World in a Grain of Sand 
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.

William Blake
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent.

A truth that's told with bad intent Beats all the lies you can invent.

William Blake
If a thing loves, it is infinite.

If a thing loves, it is infinite.

William Blake
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright 
In the forests of the night, 
What immortal hand or eye 
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

William Blake
If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.

If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.

William Blake
Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.

Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.

William Blake
What is now proved was once only imagined.

What is now proved was once only imagined.

William Blake
The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself.

The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself.

William Blake
I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.

I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.

William Blake
The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.

The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.

William Blake
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.

William Blake
To generalize is to be an idiot.

To generalize is to be an idiot.

William Blake
In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.

In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.

William Blake
The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.

William Blake
Eternity is in love with the productions of time.

Eternity is in love with the productions of time.

William Blake
You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.

You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.

William Blake
Love seeketh not itself to please, nor for itself hath any care, but for another gives its ease, and builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.

Love seeketh not itself to please, nor for itself hath any care, but for another gives its ease, and builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.

William Blake
Every Night and every Morn
Some to Misery are born.
Every Morn and every Night
Some are born to Sweet Delight,
Some are born to Endless Night.

Every Night and every Morn Some to Misery are born. Every Morn and every Night Some are born to Sweet Delight, Some are born to Endless Night.

William Blake
Truth can never be told so as to be understood and not be believed.

Truth can never be told so as to be understood and not be believed.

William Blake
He who kisses joy as it flies by will live in eternity's sunrise.

He who kisses joy as it flies by will live in eternity's sunrise.

William Blake
For all eternity, I forgive you and you forgive me.

For all eternity, I forgive you and you forgive me.

William Blake
I was walking among the fires of Hell, delighted with the enjoyments of Genius; which to Angels look like torment and insanity.

I was walking among the fires of Hell, delighted with the enjoyments of Genius; which to Angels look like torment and insanity.

William Blake
He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star.

He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star.

William Blake
Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence.

Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence.

William Blake
A man can't soar too high, when he flies with his own wings.

A man can't soar too high, when he flies with his own wings.

William Blake
If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is - infinite.

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is - infinite.

William Blake
My mother groaned, my father wept,
into the dangerous world I leapt.

My mother groaned, my father wept, into the dangerous world I leapt.

William Blake
Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps.

Excessive sorrow laughs. Excessive joy weeps.

William Blake
Improvement makes strait roads, but the crooked roads without Improvement, are roads of Genius.

Improvement makes strait roads, but the crooked roads without Improvement, are roads of Genius.

William Blake
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.

Great things are done when men and mountains meet.

William Blake
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow.

William Blake
Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.

Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.

William Blake
A good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and there's more conversation.

A good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and there's more conversation.

William Blake
The most sublime act is to set another before you.

The most sublime act is to set another before you.

William Blake
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom...You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough.

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom...You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough.

William Blake
And we are put on this earth a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of love

And we are put on this earth a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of love

William Blake
He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sun rise.

He who binds to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity's sun rise.

William Blake
This life's dim windows of the soul
Distorts the heavens from pole to pole
And leads you to believe a lie
When you see with, not through, the eye.

This life's dim windows of the soul Distorts the heavens from pole to pole And leads you to believe a lie When you see with, not through, the eye.

William Blake
Better to shun the bait than struggle in the snare.

Better to shun the bait than struggle in the snare.

William Blake
Man was made for joy and woe
Then when this we rightly know
Through the world we safely go.
Joy and woe are woven fine
A clothing for the soul to bind.

Man was made for joy and woe Then when this we rightly know Through the world we safely go. Joy and woe are woven fine A clothing for the soul to bind.

William Blake
Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.

Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.

William Blake
For I dance 
And drink and sing,
Till some blind hand Shall brush my wing.

If thought is life
And strength and breath
And the want
Of thought is death

Then am I
A happy fly
If I live
Or if I die

For I dance And drink and sing, Till some blind hand Shall brush my wing. If thought is life And strength and breath And the want Of thought is death Then am I A happy fly If I live Or if I die

William Blake
Exuberance is beauty.

Exuberance is beauty.

William Blake
For every thing that lives is Holy.

For every thing that lives is Holy.

William Blake
When i tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.

When i tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.

William Blake
Never seek to tell thy love; Love that never told can be. For the gentle wind does move silently.. invisibly.

Never seek to tell thy love; Love that never told can be. For the gentle wind does move silently.. invisibly.

William Blake
Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a faint shadow.

Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a faint shadow.

William Blake
Those who control their passions do so because their passions are weak enough to be controlled.

Those who control their passions do so because their passions are weak enough to be controlled.

William Blake
How can a bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?

How can a bird that is born for joy Sit in a cage and sing?

William Blake
Can I see another's woe and not be in sorrow, too? Can I see another's grief and not seek for kind relief?

Can I see another's woe and not be in sorrow, too? Can I see another's grief and not seek for kind relief?

William Blake
The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.

The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.

William Blake
If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately go out.

If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately go out.

William Blake
Everything to be imagined is an image of truth.

Everything to be imagined is an image of truth.

William Blake
The lamb misused breeds public strife
And yet forgives the butcher's knife.

The lamb misused breeds public strife And yet forgives the butcher's knife.

William Blake
The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.

The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.

William Blake
For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face:
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

For Mercy has a human heart Pity, a human face: And Love, the human form divine, And Peace, the human dress.

William Blake
Expect poison from the standing water.

Expect poison from the standing water.

William Blake
Knowledge is Life with wings

Knowledge is Life with wings

William Blake
I will not reason and compare my business is to create.

I will not reason and compare my business is to create.

William Blake
Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion

Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion

William Blake
Enlightenment means taking full responsibility for your life.

Enlightenment means taking full responsibility for your life.

William Blake
He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.

He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.

William Blake
A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.

A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.

William Blake
Each man must create his own system or else he is a slave to another mans

Each man must create his own system or else he is a slave to another mans

William Blake
The crow wished everything was black, the Owl, that everything was white.

The crow wished everything was black, the Owl, that everything was white.

William Blake
Both read the Bible day and night,
But thou read'st black where I read white.

Both read the Bible day and night, But thou read'st black where I read white.

William Blake
Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.

Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.

William Blake
I myself do nothing. The Holy Spirit accomplishes all through me.

I myself do nothing. The Holy Spirit accomplishes all through me.

William Blake
Mercy is the golden chain by which society is bound together.

Mercy is the golden chain by which society is bound together.

William Blake
The eagle never lost so much time as when he submitted to learn of the crow

The eagle never lost so much time as when he submitted to learn of the crow

William Blake
Sooner strangle an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires.

Sooner strangle an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires.

William Blake
The Sick Rose

O Rose, thou art sick!
The invisible worm,
That flies in the night,
In the howling storm,

Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy;
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.

The Sick Rose O Rose, thou art sick! The invisible worm, That flies in the night, In the howling storm, Has found out thy bed Of crimson joy; And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy.

William Blake
When the stars threw down their spears, and watered heaven with their tears, did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

When the stars threw down their spears, and watered heaven with their tears, did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

William Blake
Children of the future age
Reading this indignant page
Know that in a former time
Love, sweet love, was thought a crime

Children of the future age Reading this indignant page Know that in a former time Love, sweet love, was thought a crime

William Blake
Energy is eternal delight.

Energy is eternal delight.

William Blake
Opposition is true Friendship.

Opposition is true Friendship.

William Blake
What is grand is necessarily obscure to weak men. That which can be made explicit to the idiot is not worth my care.

What is grand is necessarily obscure to weak men. That which can be made explicit to the idiot is not worth my care.

William Blake
Without contraries there is no progression.

Without contraries there is no progression.

William Blake
He who replies to words of doubt
doth put the light of knowledge out.

He who replies to words of doubt doth put the light of knowledge out.

William Blake
The weak in courage is strong in cunning.

The weak in courage is strong in cunning.

William Blake
Thus men forgot that all deities reside in the human breast.

Thus men forgot that all deities reside in the human breast.

William Blake
How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?

How can the bird that is born for joy Sit in a cage and sing? How can a child, when fears annoy, But droop his tender wing, And forget his youthful spring?

William Blake
The prince's robes and beggar's rags,
Are toadstools on the miser's bags.
A truth that's told with bad intent,
Beats all the lies you can invent

The prince's robes and beggar's rags, Are toadstools on the miser's bags. A truth that's told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent

William Blake
And is he honest who resists his genius or conscience only for the sake of present ease or gratification

And is he honest who resists his genius or conscience only for the sake of present ease or gratification

William Blake
Dip him in the river who loves water.

Dip him in the river who loves water.

William Blake
Make your own rules or be a slave to another man's.

Make your own rules or be a slave to another man's.

William Blake
The moon, like a flower in heaven's high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night.

The moon, like a flower in heaven's high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night.

William Blake
The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.

William Blake
When a sinister person means to be your enemy, they always start by trying to become your friend

When a sinister person means to be your enemy, they always start by trying to become your friend

William Blake
The busy bee has no time for sorrow.

The busy bee has no time for sorrow.

William Blake
I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand.

I will not cease from mental fight Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand.

William Blake
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And I watered it in fears, Night and morning with my tears; And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles.

William Blake
The apple tree never asks the beech how he shall grow, nor the lion, the horse, how he shall take his prey.

The apple tree never asks the beech how he shall grow, nor the lion, the horse, how he shall take his prey.

William Blake
When nations grow old the Arts grow cold
And commerce settles on every tree

When nations grow old the Arts grow cold And commerce settles on every tree

William Blake
The eye altering, alters all.

The eye altering, alters all.

William Blake
Thy friendship oft has made my heart to ache: do be my enemy for friendship's sake.

Thy friendship oft has made my heart to ache: do be my enemy for friendship's sake.

William Blake
How do you know but ev’ry Bird that cuts the airy way, 
Is an immense world of delight, clos’d by your senses five?

How do you know but ev’ry Bird that cuts the airy way, Is an immense world of delight, clos’d by your senses five?

William Blake
Excuse my enthusiasm or rather madness, for I am really drunk with intellectual vision whenever I take a pencil or graver into my hand.

Excuse my enthusiasm or rather madness, for I am really drunk with intellectual vision whenever I take a pencil or graver into my hand.

William Blake
The naked woman’s body is a portion of eternity too great for the eye of man.

The naked woman’s body is a portion of eternity too great for the eye of man.

William Blake
The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.

William Blake