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Title
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Edward Young, Night-Thoughts (2005)
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Original Date:
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1795-1797
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Facsimile Date:
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2005
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Publisher:
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Folio Society
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Physical Description:
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3 volumes ; 42 cm.
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Background Information:
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Blake worked on his designs for this book (composed by Young in the 1740s) between 1795 and 1797. This facsimile edition by the Folio Society, based on the unique copy in the British Museum, was produced in 2005 using digital photography. It was issued with a commentary volume by Robin Hamlyn. This work was purchased for Union College by the Friends of the Library.
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Student Commentary:
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Overview: Edward Young (1683-1765) was an English poet. His The Complaint: or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, is usually known simply as Night-Thoughts. This long poem in blank verse is broken down into nine parts, or nights, each with a broad theme reflecting on mortality, religion, and the human condition. The work was still popular in the late 18th century, when Blake was commissioned by Richard Edwards to illustrate it. Blake created 537 watercolors for the project, designing them around sections of the poem that were cut out and placed on each page. His images are direct representations of material in the poem; Blake would mark the specific line he was illustrating with an ‘X’ to indicate what he had chosen to present. Night-Thoughts was Blake’s largest commercial project. Sadly, the project failed before Blake could engrave more than a handful of the images – or be paid for them – because Edwards abruptly closed the publishing company. – Caitlin Williams ‘18
