Page:The letters of William Blake (1906).djvu/158

distress for a medicinal potion. But as none on earth can give me mental distress, and I know all distress inflicted by Heaven is a mercy, a fig for all corporeal! Such distress is my mock and scorn. Alas! wretched, happy, ineffectual labourer of Time's moments that I am! who shall deliver me from this spirit of abstraction and improvidence? Such, my dear Sir, is the truth of my state, and I tell it you in palliation of my seeming neglect of your most pleasant orders. But I have not neglected them; and yet a year is rolled over, and only now I approach the prospect of sending you some, which you may expect soon. I should have sent them by my sister; but, as the coach goes three times a week to London, and they will arrive as safe as with her, I shall have an opportunity of enclosing several together which are not yet completed. I thank you again and again for your generous forbearance, of which I have need; and now I must express my wishes to see you at Felpham, and to show you Mr. Hayleys library,^[1] which is still unfinished, but is in a finishing way and looks well. I ought also to mention my extreme disappointment at Mr. Johnsons^[2] forgetfulness, who appointed to call

1. See note 1, p. 85.
2. Rector of Yaxham with Welbome, Norfolk: cousin and friend of Cowper. Blake made a miniature of him when he was on a visit to