The first exhibition of William Blake’s paintings was held in 1809, just 148 years ago, in the house where he was born, 28 Broad Street, Golden Square. (The building can still be visited in Soho and contains a shop-sign business.) His brother James Blake, who had taken over their father’s hosiers’ trade, lent the first floor of the house for the exhibition which had several famous visitors. Among these was the poet Robert Southey, Charles Lamb, and the Boswell of the age, Henry Crabb Robinson. It is interesting to remember this first humble showing at a time when the great galleries of the nation are vying with one another to present William Blake bi-centenary exhibitions. To celebrate the birth of this amazing poet and painter on November 28, 1757, the Tate Gallery has arranged an especially lavish display of its Blake Treasures. The Print Room of the British Museum has shown not only its Blake collection but examples of the work of Blake’s contemporaries and followers. The Fitzwilham Museum at Cambridge, which possesses beautiful examples of Blake’s illuminated books as well as many paintings, has also been holding an exhibition. Up in Manchester the Whitworth Art Gallery has shown its Blakes together with those belonging to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, and the Victoria and Albert has arranged a special exhibition where newly acquired paintings as well as drawings and engravings which have long been housed there were shown.