ABSTRACT
John Beer, writing of Blake's penchant for aphorism and apothegm, rightly warns us that
single statements which seem truly central are rare. Blake's philosophy consists rather of interlocking statements, each modifying the others. In consequence, a whole nexus of ideas must be grasped before the exact significance of single statements can be weighed. 1
These remarks are equally true with respect to the individual plates of Songs. Each poem or design is but a 'single statement,' the exact significance of which depends upon a number of other statements. Even when a Song seems clear and explicit, its full meaning almost always depends upon other plates.