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Mock On Mock On Voltaire Rousseau by William Blake

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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Blake is responding to the great Enlightenment thinkers — Voltaire, Rousseau, Newton, Democritus — who sought to explain the world through reason and science alone.

Poet
William Blake
Core theme
Doubt
The PoemFull text

Mock On Mock On Voltaire Rousseau

William Blake

1st reading: * * * Mock on, Mock on Voltaire, Rousseau: Mock on, Mock on: 'tis all in vain! You throw the sand against the wind, And the wind blows it back again. And every sand becomes a Gem Reflected in the beams divine; Blown back they blind the mocking Eye, But still in Israel's paths they shine. The Atoms of Democritus And Newton's Particles of light Are sands upon the Red sea shore, Where Israel's tents do shine so bright. 2nd reading: * * * Mock on Mock on Voltaire Rousseau Mock on Mock on! tis all in vain! You throw the sand against the wind And the wind blows it back againt And every sand becomes a Gem Reflected in the beams divine Blown back they blind the mocking Eye But still in Israels paths they shine The Atoms of Democritus And Newtons Particles of light Are sands upon the Red sea shore Where Israels tents do shine so bright

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

Blake is responding to the great Enlightenment thinkers — Voltaire, Rousseau, Newton, Democritus — who sought to explain the world through reason and science alone. He argues that their disdain for faith and their materialist views are like throwing sand into the wind: the sand blows back and blinds them, while it transforms into gems for believers. In essence, Blake believes that rational skepticism is not only pointless but also self-defeating, as the spiritual world continues to shine through regardless.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. Mock on, Mock on Voltaire, Rousseau: / Mock on, Mock on: 'tis all in vain!

    Editor's note

    Blake begins by addressing Voltaire and Rousseau directly—two prominent figures of Enlightenment thought known for their skepticism of organized religion and established authority. The repeated phrase "Mock on" feels like a taunt directed at them. Blake's tone isn't one of anger; instead, he exudes complete confidence: mock all you want, he suggests, it won't make a difference. The word "vain" here is meant in its older sense of *futile*, not merely as conceited.

  2. You throw the sand against the wind, / And the wind blows it back again.

    Editor's note

    The central image of the poem comes into focus here. Throwing sand into the wind captures the essence of a futile, self-defeating action—the sand just comes back to the thrower. Blake suggests that rational critiques of spiritual truth fail to hold; the universe (or God) just deflects them. This down-to-earth image conveys a profound philosophical idea.

  3. And every sand becomes a Gem / Reflected in the beams divine;

    Editor's note

    Here, the image shifts. The same grains of sand that skeptics scoff at become jewels when illuminated by divine light. Blake suggests that even the basic elements of Enlightenment thought — empirical particles, atoms, and observable facts — gain brilliance when viewed through a spiritual perspective. This change from sand to gem reflects Blake's idea of turning lead into gold.

  4. Blown back they blind the mocking Eye, / But still in Israel's paths they shine.

    Editor's note

    The sand-turned-gems blind the mockers — their own weapons turn against them. "Israel's paths" symbolizes the spiritual community of believers (Blake uses Israel as a metaphor for the human imagination in its divine state, rather than just the historical nation). The gems light the way for the faithful while dazzling and perplexing the rationalists.

  5. The Atoms of Democritus / And Newton's Particles of light

    Editor's note

    Blake now explicitly names the scientific tradition. Democritus, the ancient Greek philosopher, proposed that everything consists of indivisible atoms—this idea laid the groundwork for materialism. Newton’s concept of "particles of light" relates to his corpuscular theory, where light is viewed as a stream of tiny physical particles. Blake groups these two thinkers together as examples of a worldview that reduces reality to what can be measured as matter.

  6. Are sands upon the Red sea shore, / Where Israel's tents do shine so bright.

    Editor's note

    The closing couplet brings everything together. Newton's particles and Democritus's atoms are merely grains of sand along the shore of the Red Sea—the same sea that parted for Moses and the Israelites. This imagery reduces the whole history of scientific materialism to a footnote next to one of the Bible's greatest miracles. Israel's tents glimmering on that shore symbolize living faith, which Blake views as far more real and radiant than any atomic theory.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone comes across as defiant and triumphant, yet it doesn't carry a hint of bitterness. Blake's voice feels like that of a victor who is calmly observing his opponents wear themselves out. The repeated "Mock on" has a rhythmic, almost chant-like quality that lends the poem a hymn-like sense of confidence. Beneath this assurance lies real passion—Blake truly believed that Enlightenment rationalism posed a spiritual threat—but he manages to keep that passion in check, directing it into the clear, almost geometric imagery of sand and wind.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Sand
Sand symbolizes the arguments and ideas of rational skepticism — abundant, finely textured, and appearing formidable in large quantities, yet ultimately insubstantial and easily shifted. It also evokes the biblical metaphor of building on sand (an unreliable foundation) and the countless grains found along the shores of the Red Sea.
Wind
The wind represents a force of spiritual truth or divine power that can deflect rational challenges. In Hebrew, the word *ruach* refers to both wind and spirit, a connection that Blake likely intended. The wind doesn't engage in debate; it just blows.
Gem / Jewel
The transformation of sand into gems shows that matter can take on spiritual significance when seen from the right perspective. In Blake's symbolism, gems are linked to the New Jerusalem and to imagination—the highest aspect of what it means to be human.
Israel
Blake sees Israel not just as a specific ethnic or national identity but as a symbol of humanity at its most imaginative and spiritual. "Israel's paths" and "Israel's tents" signify the community of those who view the world through a spiritual lens, rather than just a material one.
The Red Sea Shore
The Red Sea brings to mind the Exodus — a pivotal moment of liberation in the Hebrew Bible. Comparing Newton's particles and Democritus's atoms to mere grains of sand on that shore somewhat undermines the significance of materialist science when placed alongside a miracle of divine freedom.
The Mocking Eye
The Eye represents the purely rational and observational way of perceiving the world, which Blake linked to Newton, known for using a prism to study light. For Blake, relying solely on the physical eye means completely overlooking the spiritual aspect of reality.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Blake wrote this poem between 1800 and 1803, during the peak of his "prophetic" period. It was discovered in his notebook, not published while he was alive. At that time, the Enlightenment was at its height: Voltaire had been critiquing the Church with sharp wit for years, Rousseau had redefined society on secular principles, and Newton's physics offered educated Europeans a view of the universe that seemed to function without the need for God. Blake wasn’t anti-intellectual—he loved to read—but he felt that reducing reality to mere atoms and particles severely limited human perception. He viewed Newton and Locke as the true villains of his time, men whose narrow materialism had, in his opinion, stifled the human imagination. This poem represents one of his most pointed and concise critiques of that perspective, gaining added power from its brevity: twelve lines challenging two centuries of Enlightenment thought.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Voltaire (1694–1778) was a French writer known for his sharp satire of the Catholic Church and religious superstitions. Rousseau (1712–1778) was a philosopher who based his views on society and human nature on reason instead of divine revelation. Both are key figures in the Enlightenment's skeptical and secular movement. Blake highlights them not because he viewed them as foolish, but because he found their criticism of spiritual life to be dangerously superficial.

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