Several Questions Answered

by William Blake

Notebook 59 - Several Questions Answered

1st reading:^[1]

4 What is it men in women do require?
   The lineaments of Gratified Desire.
   What is it women do in men require?
   The lineaments of Gratified Desire.

2 The look of love alarms
   Because 'tis fill'd with fire;
   But the look of soft deceit
   Shall Win the lover's hire.

3 Soft deceit & Idleness,
   These are Beauty's sweetest dress.

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

5 An ancient Proverb:

   Remove away that black'ning church,
   Remove away that marriage hearse,
   Remove away that — of blood,^[2]
   You'll quite remove the ancient curse.

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2nd reading:^[3]

Several Questions Answerd

He who binds to himself a joy
Doth the winged life destroy
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in Eternitys sun rise

________________________________________

The look of love alarms
Because tis filld with fire
But the look of soft deceit
Shall Win the lovers hire

________________________________________

Soft deceit & Idleness
These are Beautys sweetest dress

________________________________________

An ancient Proverb

What is it men in women do require
The lineaments of Gratified Desire
What is it women do in men require
The lineaments of Gratified Desire

________________________________________

Remove away that blackning church
Remove away that marriage hearse
Remove away that________of blood^[4]
Youll quite remove the ancient curse
________________________________________

 

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1. "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 184.
2. The 1st version of this line was:
   Remove away that [place del.] man of blood,
3. "The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake", ed. by David V. Erdman, Anchor Books, 1988, p. 474.
4. The 1st version of this line was:
   Remove away that [place del.] man of blood