William Blake, Robert Blair

First edition and a subscribers' copy of The Grave, A Poem, by Robert Blair, with illustrations by William Blake.

• Robert Blair (Scottish).
• Illustrated by William Blake (English).
• London: T. Bensley, 1808.
• Folio.
• Frontispiece portrait, additional engraved title-page (marked 'Subscribers Copy' to lower edge) and 11 drawings by Blake, etched by Louis Schiavonetti.
• Includes list of subscribers, a poem "To the Queen" by Blake, and advertisement referencing Henry Fuseli's favorable comments, complete.
• Bound in the original boards, original printed paper label to front cover, entirely uncut as issued.

One of about 590 copies published by subscription. In October 1805, Blake was commissioned by the publisher Cromek to prepare 40 drawings for the poem. Disagreements between Blake and Comek about the artistic direction led to hiring Schiavonetti for the engraving. Cromek included a portrait of Blake as a frontispiece and promoted the book aggressively and the illustrations to The Grave became Blake's best known work through much of the nineteenth century.