Visionary Materialism in the Early Works of William Blake: The Intersection of Enthusiasm and Empiricism

Incorporating the most recent discoveries concerning Blake’s heritage and cultural context, Visionary Materialism in the Early Works of William The Intersection of Enthusiasm and Empiricism proposes a radical new reading of his early works, that sees them taking enlightenment ideas to heights never dreamed of by Locke and Priestley. Drawing on a careful analysis of key figures from both sides of the enlightenment/counter-enlightenment divide (including Boehme, Swedenborg, the Moravians, Lavater, Brothers, Erasmus Darwin), the discussion traces an alternative tradition that disrupts previous assumptions about important aspects of Blake’s thought.