William Blake

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

A truth that's told with bad intent

Beats all the lies you can invent.

He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.

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

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 thru' narrow chinks of his cavern.

The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
- All from William Blake, 1757 - 1827

About: William Blake was born at London on 28 Nov in 1757. His parents recognized his headstrong character and didn't send him to school, although he was given art classes. His first of many visions, a tree full of angels, came at the age of ten. He trained as an engraver, and later developed a process of plate making that allowed a mix of text and illustration on the same page from a single plate, which was not particularly profitable in his business but he did use it for several books of his own poetry. His poetry and painting did not meet with much success during his lifetime, but not only has his poetry been set to music in recent decades (both classical and rock) we have these quotes.