In 1757, a great British poet named William Blake was welcomed into the world. Born in London, England, he was the third child in his family but only the second to survive. Blake was one of 5 children of his mother Catherine Wright Armitage Blake, and father of James Blake. During William's childhood, his parents noticed that he was very different from his peers. Blake claimed to often see visions but his parents didn't believe him; they told him it wasn't acceptable to lie. When William was only four years old he had his first vision. According to his word, he saw God look out of the window. Later, at the age of 9, while walking with his parents down the street, he saw a tree full of angels. His parents often tried to discourage him as they believed Blake's visions were made up. When William was growing up, his parents never made him attend a mainstream school. Instead he learned to read and write at home and, at the age of ten, expressed a desire to become a painter so his parents sent him to a drawing school. Only two years later, after being placed in a drawing school, William began to write poetry. Then, just another two years later, William apprenticed with an art engraver because art school proved too expensive. One of Williams' projects while an apprentice was to sketch the tombs of Westminster Abbey, which exposed him to a variety of Gothic styles from which he would draw inspiration throughout his career. At the end of his seven-year term, he studied briefly at the Royal Academy. In 1782, William Blake married Catherine Boucher, who was illiterate. Over the next few years together, William taught her to read and write, and tutored her in drawing… half a page… eh, Eds. 1917. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse." 58. The Everspiring Gospel by William Blake. Nicholson & Lee, Eds. 1917. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. Np, nd Web. 01 April 2014. Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, nd Web. Poet: William Blake - All the Poems of William Blake "Poet: William Blake - All the Poems of William Blake.com, nd Web. Understanding "The Tyger" by William Blake" Understanding "The Tyger" by William Blake Np. Web. 06 April 2014. "William Blake Poet.org." Academy of American Poets. 01 April 2014. "William Blake Foundation for Poetry, nd Web. 03 April 2014. “William Blake's “The Everspiring Gospel”: A Hypertext Edition by David Owen.” “The Eternal Gospel” by David Owen: A Hypertext Edition. Np, nd Web. 02 April. 2014.