The Sussex Men are Noted Fools

by William Blake

Blake manuscript - Notebook 1808 - 06 The Sussex Men are Noted Fools

Edited text:^[1]

* * *

The Sussex Men are Noted Fools,
And weak is their brain pan:
I wonder if H[aines]^[2] the painter
Is not a Sussex Man?

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The original text:^[3]

* * *

The Sussex Men are Noted Fools
And weak is their brain pan
I wonder if H——the painter
Is not a Sussex Man

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Notes

1. "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 538.
2. Identified by Sampson as William Haines (1778-1848), engraver and painter.
3. "The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake", ed. by David V. Erdman, Anchor Books, 1988, p. 506.