contrasting with the violence of the messenger come to tell of the destruction of Job’s sons.  The emphasis that parallelism gives to the music of particular lines is well illustrated in all Blake’s work.  He is a mine of information on the subject of line rhythm.  Compare A with Plate XXXI, C; note how the emotional quality is dependent in both cases on the parallelism of the upward flow of the lines.  How also in Plate I he has carried the vertical feeling even into the sheep in the front, introducing little bands of vertical shading to carry through the vertical lines made by the kneeling figures.  And in the last plate, “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning,” note how the greater completeness with which the parallelism has been carried out has given a much greater emphasis to the effect, expressing a greater exaltation and peace than in Plate XXXI, A. Notice in Plate XXXI, D, where “The just, upright man is laughed to scorn,” how this power of emphasis is used to increase the look of scorn hurled at Job by the pointing fingers of his three friends.

Of the use of this principle in curved forms, the repetition of the line of the back in stooping figures is a favourite device with Blake.  There will be found instances of this in Plate XXXII, E and G. (Further instances will be found on reference to Plates VII, VIII, XIII, and XVII, in Blake’s Job.) In the last instance it is interesting to note how he has balanced the composition, which has three figures kneeling on the right and only one on the left.  By losing the outline of the third figure on the right and getting a double line out of the single figure on the left by means of the outline of the mass of hair, and also by shading this single figure more strongly, he has contrived to keep a perfect balance.  The head of Job is also turned to the left, while he stands slightly on that side, still further balancing the three figures on the right. (This does not show so well in the illustration here reproduced as in the original print.)

[Illustration:  Plate XXXI.

Thus did Job continually. (Plate I, Blake’s Job)

And I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Plate IV, Blake’s Job)

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning. (Plate XXI, Blake’s Job)

The just upright man is laughed to scorn. (Plate X, Blake’s Job)]

Some rude things were said above about the straight line and the circle, on account of their lack of variety, and it is true that a mathematically straight line, or a mathematically perfect circle, are never found in good artistic drawing.  For without variety is no charm or life.  But these lines possess other qualities, due to their maximum amount of unity, that give them great power in a composition; and where the expression of sublimity or any of the deeper and more profound sentiments are in evidence, they are often to be found.