istian who was hostile to
the Church of England (indeed, to almost all forms of organised religion), Blake was influenced by the ideals and
ambitions of the French and American revolutions.[10][11] Though later he rejected many of these political beliefs, he
maintained an amiable relationship with the political activist Thomas Paine; he was also influenced by thinkers such as
Emanuel Swedenborg.[12] Despite these known influences, the singularity of Blake's work makes him difficult to classify.
The 19th-cen