News about William Blake

DAVID BLUNKETT: For those who are unfamiliar with the comedian Chris McCausland, his appearance on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing will have come as a revelation. Many will already be familiar with his tremendous sense of humour, irrepressible personality and willingness to have a go at anything. Some may have seen him in the Channel 4 reality show Scared Of The Dark, where contestants lived in a house devoid of light for eight days. Others may have tuned into BBC Radio 4 for You Heard It Here First, where he asks a panel of comedians to guess an object from sound only.  Programmes like these are close to my heart because, of course, the one thing that Chris and I have in common is that neither of us can see.

Charles tells the recipient, a Mr Peter Houghton, that his heart 'bleeds' for him following the passing of 'dear Liz' to illness. The monarch adds that he can imagine the 'agony' he was going through and 'longed to wave a magic wand to transform the situation'. Charles then laments the 'bewilderment and confusion that accompanies the removal of someone so young from the world'. He elaborates on his Christian faith and his beliefs on what happens when someone dies, quoting a Bible passage that states 'now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face'. Right: Charles with his sons Prince William and Prince Harry and Diana's brother Earl Spencer after her funeral.

Neil Clark explores the often derided beachside spot. He says: 'With so many rundown traditional seaside towns it was refreshing to visit somewhere that's received some TLC.' He says: 'This is a lovely part of the world.' Read on to discover more...

A affectionate letter from King Charles emerged describing the 'unbearable emptiness' of grief he experienced four months after Princess Diana 's death in 1997. The three page letter handwritten by Charles on Highgrove House letterhead, is dated December 8, 1997 and has materialised to go on sale for £1,500 ($2,000) at RR Auction, of Boston, US. As part of a letter to a friend, who is referred to only as Peter, the now King shares sympathy who the recipient, who is believed to have been suffering their own loss, as Charles expresses his sympathy for the loss of 'dear Liz'. Though it is unclear who said 'Liz' is, Charles wrote that his 'heart bleeds' following the passing - recalling his own experience grief following the loss of his ex wife, Princess Diana.

A rare poetry book by William Blake has sold for a staggering £3.4m ($4.3m), making it one of the most valuable ever. The 1794 copy of Songs of Innocence and of Experience, illustrated and printed by Blake and his wife Catherine, is one of only six copies printed during Blake's lifetime that remained in private hands. This book includes some of Blake's most celebrated poems, such as 'The Chimney Sweeper,' 'The Little Boy Lost,' and 'The Tyger.' Featuring 54 pen and watercolour-etched plates, it was originally owned by Blake's friend and patron Charles Augustus Tulk.Tulk lent this copy to poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who responded by ranking the poems.

The modern world has lots of ways of showing that you care, with maximum publicity. If you want to build a catwalk for your conscience to strut along, the cameras will quickly arrive to film you. Almost none of these routes to public admiration, or to self-admiration, involve hard work, true sacrifice or real consideration for others. Rather the contrary. The more that such people shout about their righteousness, the more I suspect that at home there is an unmade bed in a room like a landfill site and despairing housemates exasperated by the piles of unwashed plates and empty beer cans. And I think there is proof of this in the nasty, slatternly mess that Gaza protesters have left behind them in Oxford this week.

The Hairy Biker, who died on Wednesday aged 66 with his wife Lil and a new friend Si King, said he wished his coffin would be carried out to his burial to shock anthem The Best Is Yet To Come by The Scorpions. And, the Cumbrian-born actor said he wanted to be remembered as "the bloke who had a go" and that, if people heard anything from his life, it would be "never restrict your aspirations." You might not get there if you aim for the moon.' Dave's funeral is likely to take place in March, but the TV chef, who rose to prominence in his mid-forties, set out his wishes before being seriously ill, according to Rob McGibbon of The Daily Mail in 2014. 'I'd like vodka martinis before a church service to get everyone loosened up,' he said. "I'd like a traditional burial because I'm not keen on all the fire stuff," he said. In the aftermath, I'll be serving a platter of meat and potato pie and chips with some of the best wines on the planet.' After losing a fiancée to stomach cancer in the 1990s, Dave told Mr McGibbon that meeting Si King was the single best moment in his life - opening the door to a new career on television and finding love again. He talked about their friendship and work, describing it as "the event that changed the course of your life and character" in 1992. When everyone else was having salad, he was ordering a curry for lunch. We started talking and became inseparable.'

The Polytechnic Marathon, commonly known as the Poly, took place in the United Kingdom's first annual marathon between 1909 and 1996. It was originally run over a route of 26 miles and 385 yards, but it was later approved as the global standard. The Poly had its roots in the 1908 Summer Olympics, which were held in London. The marathon's organisation had been left in the care of The Polytechnic Harriers, the athletics club of The Regent Street Polytechnic, which is now the University of Westminster. No set distance for the marathon had existed in those days; it was simply a very long run, about 25 miles in length. The Polytechnic Harriers selected Windsor Castle's entrance as the starting point, with the finish line in front of the royal box at White City Stadium. The distance was estimated to be 26 miles, 385 yards, which was later adopted as the international standard in 1924.

Visitors may be offended if a puppet show shows "dead bodies," Tate Modern says. The film by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky depicts marionettes "acting out historic events." Nonetheless, the London attraction's chiefs were compelled to post warnings at its entrance, despite the fact that puppets are the only one displayed. Wael, a photographer who was born in 1971,'tackles notions of national, religious, and artistic identity through film, performance, and storytelling,' according to the gallery's biography.' Cabaret Crusades: The Horror Show Files was created in 2010 and is on display in Tate Modern's Artist and Society section.

The National Trust was established in the aim of preserving Britain's endangered landscapes, coastline, and historic buildings, and it has achieved a stellar job at doing both of these things. However, it has lost its place in recent years, allowing some of its less resourceful trustees and employees to rewrite its very nature. Many see it as a lobbying group for modern liberal claptrap rather than being a body devoted to conserving the past.

This week, Bel advises a reader who has fallen out with her best friend

Picking up more than you bargained for can be gratifying, and these charity shops find the expression, 'one man's garbage is another man's treasure,' is certainly true.' And you will never guess how much money these rare finds went for at auction, with some selling for more than £500,000. Here are a few of the most expensive items discovered on the shop floor, from a Chinese vase that was purchased for less than £1 to a first edition copy of the book Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone, which was valued at 30p.

Brown reveals how Eastern mysticism went from being unknown to venerable and back to a topic of suspicion in a lively narrative delivered with humor and compassion. He introduces an innovative cast of characters, including film actors, writers, heiresses, and scholars, as well as how soothing swamis and dodgy charlatans left their mark on Western society.

In an attempt to crackdown on anti-social activity in the park, the historic site with breathtaking views of the capital's skyline will be closed down on weekend nights. The Royal Parks' initiative in Camden has split Londoners, with some applauding the decision as 'key to combating antisocial conduct,' while others say it's a 'bad decision.'

The WI brings together a diverse group of women to discuss, plan, campaign, and provide sociable companionship for each other in craft groups, coffee mornings, and charitable causes. The old patronizing stereotype of the WI, which was summered by the word 'Jam and Jerusalem,' referred to the organisation's wartime activities. Members canned or made a jolly rendition of Jerusalem, William Blake's poem that was later associated with the Suffragettes, was also associated with the Suffragettes. A noble past. If the Women's Institute appeared to represent conservative ideals, those time-honoured beliefs had nothing to do with party politics. They were deeply rooted in love of family, locality, community, and country, and they would never engage with anything that threatened what they loved. In fact, the sisterhood was in place, long before feminists like me even knew the term existed in 1960s.

'And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England's mountains green?' To many, this rousing opening line to England's unofficial national anthem, Jerusalem, appeals to the belief that Jesus created Heaven in this world during a visit. Indeed, William Blake's 1804 mystical poem, set to music by Hubert Parry, leaves an enigma that has been debated over the years, not least at Easter. The belief that the Son of God made a journey of thousands of miles through treacherous seas and landed in Cornwall as a result of a shipwreck has long been a matter of folklore.

Sir Hubert Parry is known for his song to the words of William Blake, who was a favourite of King Charles. Three rooms at the prestigious college in which he served for nearly a quarter of a century have long borne his name. However, all three three characters now have the names of philanthropists who have made RCM contributions. According to reports, the change has been prompted by fear over remarks he made today that are offensively racial.

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau - which translates to Land of my Fathers - has a following in football fans from around the world, with a number naming it the best of the tournament. On the other hand, England supporters are fed up with their traditional song (top-right, players performing it against the United States), which has been branded as "dirge" on social media (right). Some are claiming that the tone of the songs is so stark that it could rouse the Dragons into a rousing appearance, knowing that they will need to win to keep any hopes of qualifying to the last 16 alive. Earlier in the tournament, a Welsh football fan was dubbed "the face of the anthem" after she gave a rousing rendition of the song during her team's match against the United States (left). Dwynwen Morgan, a radio producer from Gwynedd, was seen crying out with tears in her eyes during an ITV video of the game in Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, belting out Hen Wlad Nhadau, Wales' official national anthem, during the game.

Stephen Cameron and his partner, Clare Harrison (bottom right), who worked in medical communications, bought the Grade II listed home (left and top right), near Hampstead Heath, in 2020, with the intention to excavate the basement and turn it into a second kitchen and living space. Earlier this year, the north London building was caught up in a conflict with neighbors over their proposal to upgrade the Grove property, which they said would'ruin one of the finest rows of houses'. The Highgate Society's Janet Jones said, 'digging a basement' could result in the loss of homes on either side of the equation, which cannot be ignored.' After the Wham! The Grade II listed singer (inset) died on Christmas Day 2016 due to liver and heart diseases, and he was allowed to A-listers for £15,000 a week. Michael spent many years at the pad, which he bought for £7.65 million and was previously owned by Annie Lennox, and with Kenny Goss, his ex-boyfriend, lived there for many years.

As millions of Britons face a hosepipe ban, a green-fingered father who has spent more than 25 years converting his garden into a tropical jungle claims to have stored thousands of litres of rainwater to shield his exotic plants from England's looming drought. Mike Clifford's 65-foot garden in Poole, Dorset, is brimming with unusual plants native to South and Central America, Africa, and China, many of which are in danger of death due to a lack of rain. The 61-year-old, who lives in an area where no formalities have been imposed, has built a system of water butts buried beneath the ground that carries over 2,000 litres of rainwater collected in winter, but hopes that this will be enough to save his garden. To soak the plants, Mr Clifford uses submersible pumps connected to the butts as well as two hosepipes. If his water reserves lasts until September, he may be able to save the garden for next year. In a back-breaking attempt to shield it from the winter cold, he will finally dig up and pack the majority of his micro-jungle away. Although aerial photos depict how parched his neighbors' gardens look by comparison, the 61-year-old's plot is a lush green.

I dread to think about what William Blake would make of my garden if he were alive to see it. The Romantic poet, who memorably referred to England as a "green and pleasant land," would be alarmed by the way my lawn has been reduced to a stripe of parched, brown, dehydrated stalks. Gardeners have no time at this moment. Our lawns have all succumbed to drought after years of planting, seed-sowing, nurturing, and even grooming. We've had heatwaves and dry spells before, but not to mention floods, June frosts, and wretched gales. But this year's mix of unusual weather has really shocked us. For the first time, it's okay to blame the weather. Last winter, the temperature was unusually warm. And in chilly Lincolnshire, we were almost frost-free. As a result, the first snowdrops fell at Christmas rather than late January.