Although today William Blake (1757–1827) is recognised as a visionary poet and artist, at the time of his death he was unknown except for his presumed insanity. This highly influential two-volume biography by the barrister Alexander Gilchrist, first published in 1863 and reissued here in its second edition (1880), rescued William Blake from almost complete obscurity. The accepted interpretation of his madness was challenged and his creative talents were brought to the attention of Victorian society by the inclusion of selected writings and artistic works, nearly all previously unpublished. Volume 1 of Gilchrist's book is an account of William Blake's life, combining excerpts from his written works and paintings with detailed biographical information drawn from surviving letters and contemporary accounts. The second volume contains a large selection of his poetry and prose together with an annotated catalogue of William Blake's drawings and paintings.

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Product details
- Date Published: November 2010
- format: Multiple copy pack
- isbn: 9781108013697
- length: 992 pages
- dimensions: 322 x 252 x 70 mm
- weight: 1.6kg
- availability: Out of stock in print form with no current plan to reprint
Table of Contents
Volume I: Preface to the second edition
Preface to the first edition
1. Preliminary
2. Childhood
3. Engraver's apprentice
4. A boy's poems
5. Student and lover
6. Introduction to the polite world
7. Struggle and sorrow
8. Meditation: notes on Lavater
9. Poems of manhood: Songs of Innocence
10. Books of prophecy: Thel, Marriage of Heaven and Hell
11. Bookseller's journal
12. The Gates of Paradise, Visions of the Daughters of Albion, The 'America'
13. The Songs of Experience
14. Productive years: Europe, Urizen, The Song of Los, Ahania
15. At work for the publishers
16. A new life
17. Poet Hayley and Felpham
18. Working hours: Letters to Butts
19. Trial for sedition
20. South Molton Street: Letters to Hayley
21. The Jerusalem and the Milton
22. A keen employer
23. Gleams of patronage
24. The designs to Blair
25. Appeal to the public
26. Engraver Cromek
27. Years of deepening neglect
28. John Varley and the Visionary Heads
29. Opinions: Notes on Reynolds
30. Designs to Phillip's Pastorals
31. Fountain Court
32. Inventions to the Book of Job
33. Hampstead
and youthful disciples
34. Personal details
35. Mad or not mad
36. Declining health
Designs to Dante
Mr. Crabb Robinson's reminiscences
Notes on Wordsworth
37. Last days
38. Posthumous
39. Supplementary. Volume II: Selections edited by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Poetical Sketches
Songs of Innocence
Songs of Experience
The Book of Thel
Ideas of good and evil
Prose writings
Annotated catalogue of Blake's paintings and drawings by William Michael Rossetti
Account between Blake and Mr. Butts
Lists of engravings
List of writings
Prospectus by Blake issued in 1793
Descriptive notes of the designs to Young's 'Night Thoughts' by Frederic James Shields
Essay on Blake by James Smetham
In memoriam F. O. Finch, by Samuel Palmer
Memoir of Alexander Gilchrist by Anne Gilchrist
Index.
Author
Alexander Gilchrist
Editors
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
William Michael Rossetti
Contributors
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, Frederic James Shields, James Smetham, Samuel Palmer, Anne Gilchrist