I askd my Dear Friend Orator Prigg

by William Blake

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Blake manuscript - Notebook - page 060

Edited text:^[1]

* * *
  
I ASKÈD^[2] my dear friend Orator Prig:
‘What’s the first part of oratory?’ He said: ‘A great wig.
‘And what is the second?’ Then, dancing a jig
And bowing profoundly, he said: ‘A great wig.’
5 ‘And what is the third?’ Then he snored like a pig,
And, puffing his cheeks out, replied: ‘A great wig.’
So if a great painter with questions you push,
‘What’s the first part of painting?’ he’ll say: ‘A paint-brush.’
‘And what is the second?’ with most modest blush,
10 He’ll smile like a cherub, and say: ‘A paint-brush.’
‘And what is the third?’ he’ll bow like a rush,
With a leer in his eye, he’ll reply: ‘A paint-brush.’
Perhaps this is all a painter can want:
But, look yonder—that house is the house of Rembrandt!

The original text:^[3]

* * *

I askd my Dear Friend Orator Prigg^[4]
Whats the first part of Oratory he said a great wig
And what is the second then dancing a jig
And bowing profoundly he said a great wig
5And what is the third then he snord like a pig
And puffing his cheeks he replied a Great wig^[5]

So if a Great Panter with Questions you push
Whats the first Part of Panting hell say a Pant Brush
And what is the second with most modest blush
10Hell smile like a Cherub & say^[6] a pant Brush
And what is the third hell bow like a rush
With a lear in his Eye hell reply a Pant Brush

Perhaps this is all a Painter can want
But look yonder that house is the house of Rembrant^[7]

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Notes

1. The Poetical Works of William Blake, including the unpublished French Revolution together with the Minor Prophetic Books and Selections from The Four Zoas, Milton & Jerusalem; edited with an introduction and textual notes by John Sampson, Hon. D.Litt. Oxon., 1862–1931. London, New York: Oxford University Press, 1908.
2. Blake has marked this piece ‘to come in Barry: a Poem’. 6 And, puffing his cheeks out,] And thrust out his cheeks and MS. 1st rdg. del.
3. "The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake", ed. by David V. Erdman, Anchor Books, 1988, p. 515.
4. Satiric verses and epigrams from Blake's Notebook#“I askd my Dear Friend Orator Prigg...”|"I askd my Dear Friend Orator Prigg..."]] N 60
5. 6 puffing his cheeks he replied] smild like a Cherub & said 1st rdg
6. 10 smile like a Cherub & say] nod wink & smile & reply 1st rdg
7. At the end the ms reads “&c / to come in Barry a Poem”, an indication that these verses are but a patch made for a poem (now lost, or never finished) on the rebellious Academician James Barry.