y was a malicious prosecution for
treason set on foot by a common soldier whom Blake had summarily ejected
from his garden; but a more serious drawback was the increasing
irritation which the painter seems to have experienced from association
with Hayley. In 1804 Blake returned to London, to take up his residence
in South Moulton Street, and as the fruit of his residence in Felpham,
he published, in the manner already described, the prophetic books
called the _Jerusalem_, _The Emanation of the Giant Albion_, and
_Milton_. The first of these is a very notable performance in regard to
artistic invention. Many of the designs stand out from the text in
complete independence, and are now and then of the very finest quality.

In the years 1804-1805 Blake executed a series of designs in
illustration of Robert Blair's _The Grave_, of much beauty and grandeur,
though showing stronger traces of imitation of Italian art than any
earlier production. These designs were purchased from the artist by an
adventurous and unscrupulous publisher, Cromek, for the paltry sum of
L21, and afterwards published in a series of engravings by Schiavonetti.
Despite the ill treatment Blake received in the matter, and the other
evils, including a quarrel with his friend Stothard as to priority of
invention of a design illustrating the Canterbury Pilgrims, which his
association with Cromek involved, the book gained for him a larger
amount of popularity than he at any other time secured. Stothard's
picture of the Canterbury Pilgrims was exhibited in 1807, and in 1809
Blake, in emulation of his rival's success, having himself painted in
water-colour a picture of the same subject, opened an exhibition, and
drew up a _Descriptive Catalogue_, curious and interesting, and
containing a very valuable criticism of Chaucer.

The remainder of the artist's life is not outwardly eventful. In 1813 he
formed, through the introduction of George Cumberland of Bristol, a
valuable friendship with John Linnell and other rising water-colour
painters. Amongst the group Blake seems to have found special sympathy
in the society of John Varley, who, himself addicted to astrology,
encouraged Blake to cultivate his gift of inspired vision; and it is
probably to this influence that we are indebted for several curious
drawings made from visions, especially the celebrated "ghost of a flea"
and the very humorous portrait of the builder of the Pyramids. In 1821
Blake removed to Foun