Little Fly,
Thy summer's play
My thoughtless hand
Has brushed away.

Am not I
A fly like thee?
Or art not thou
A man like me?

For I dance
And drink and sing,
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing.

William Blake

Songs of Experience

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More information about this quote

Topic

Man and animals Empathy Insignificance of man

Author

William Blake

Source

Songs of Experience

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1794 1790s 18th century

Occupation

Artist Poet Writer

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Blake, William. "The Fly." Songs of Innocence and of Experience Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul. London, 1794.

Current Citation

Blake, William. "The Fly." William Blake: Selected Poems, edited by Nicholas Shrimpton. Oxford University Press, 2019.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by William Blake about man and animals: “Little Fly, Thy summer's play My thoughtless hand Has brushed away. Am…”
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A quote by William Blake about man and animals: “Little Fly, Thy summer's play My thoughtless hand Has brushed away. Am…”
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A quote by William Blake about man and animals: “Little Fly, Thy summer's play My thoughtless hand Has brushed away. Am…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by William Blake

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

William Blake

Auguries of Innocence

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More information about this quote
Topic
Interconnectedness of all things Scale

Author

William Blake
Source
Auguries of Innocence Poems from the Pickering Manuscript
Medium
Poem
Language
English
Time
1803 1800s 19th century
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Blake, William. "Auguries of Innocence." Songs of Innocence and Experience, with Other Poems. London: Basil Montagu Pickering, 1866.

Current Citation

Blake, William. "Auguries of Innocence." William Blake: Selected Poems, edited by Nicholas Shrimpton. Oxford University Press, 2019.

Another quote from the 1790s

Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, generally.

George Washington

Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website
More information about this quote
Topic
Partisan politics Political parties American politics

Author

George Washington
Source
Washington's Farewell Address Presidential Farewell Address
Medium
Speech
Language
English
Time
1796 1790s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Washington, George. "The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States." Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 19 Sept. 1796.

Current Citation

Washington, George. "Farewell Address, September 19, 1796." George Washington: Writings, edited by John Rhodehamel. Library of America, 1997.

Another quote about Man and animals

A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.

Niccolo Machiavelli

The Prince

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Read The Prince at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Man and animals

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli
Source
The Prince
Medium
Treatise
Genre
Political literature Philosophical literature
Language
Italian
Time
1532 1530s 16th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Il Principe [The Prince]. Rome: Antonio Blado d'Asola, 1532.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Nicolò. The Prince, translated by Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2005.