[To] George Cumberland

19 Decr 1808

Dear Cumberland

I am very much obliged by your kind ardour in my cause & should immediately Engage in reviving my former pursuits of printing if I had not now so

Begin Page 770

long been turned out of the old channel into a new one that it is impossible for me to return to it without destroying my present course New Vanities or rather new pleasures occupy my thoughts New profits seem to arise before me so tempting that I have already involved myself in engagements that preclude all possibility of promising any thing. I have however the satisfaction to inform you that I have Myself begun to print an account of my various Inventions in Art <for> which I have procured a Publisher & am determind to pursue the plan of publishing what I may get printed without disarranging my time which in future must <alone> be devoted to Designing & Painting [alone] when I have got my Work printed I will send it you first of any body in the mean time believe me to be

Your Sincere friend

WILL BLAKE