He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it — namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain.
One's very own free, unfettered desire, one's own whim, no matter how wild, one's own fantasy, even though sometimes roused to the point of madness—all this constitutes precisely that previously omitted, most advantageous advantage which isn't included under any classification and because of which all systems and theories are constantly smashed to smithereens.
Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained; and the restrainer or reason usurps its place & governs the unwilling.
WILLIAM BLAKE, The Voice of the Devil
Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you've conquered human nature.
Who wants to want according to a little table?
It is when we try to grapple with another man's intimate need that we perceive how incomprehensible, wavering, and misty are the beings that share with us the sight of the stars and the warmth of the sun.
There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.
- Nought's had, all's spent
- Where our desire is got without content.
- 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
- Than, by destruction, dwell in doubtful joy.
He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence.
WILLIAM BLAKE, Proverbs of Hell
That is the worst moment, when you feel you have lost
The desires for all that was most dersirable,
Before you are contented with what you can desire;
Before you know what is left to be desired;
And you go on wishing that you could desire
What desire has left behind. But you cannot understand.
How could you understand what it is to feel old?
