Arts & Sciences
Degrade first the Arts if you'd Mankind Degrade
From Annotations to Reynolds's Discourses (c. 1808)
Arts & Sciences
Degrade first the Arts if you'd Mankind Degrade,
Hire Idiots to Paint with cold light & hot shade,
Give high Price for the worst, leave the best in disgrace,
And with Labours of Ignorance fill every place.
Cite this poem
MLA
Blake, William. “Degrade first the Arts if you'd Mankind Degrade.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/blake/238/.
Chicago
Blake, William. “Degrade first the Arts if you'd Mankind Degrade.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/blake/238/.
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