![]() ![]() The children were often taken from orphanages but some families sent their young boys (and occasionally girls) to work for chimney cleaning services.Ĥ Britain’s Act for the Better Regulation of Chimney Sweepers and their Apprentices in the late 1700’s stipulated that sweepers “should not begin work until they are eight, they should be washed once a week, and they should not be made to climb chimneys with fires in them”, but this law was loosely enforced, and Blake felt greater emphasis should be placed on the safety of these sweeps. 1 “The Chimney Sweeper” from Songs of Innocence and Songs of ExperienceĢ These poems offer perspective into the oppressive, dangerous work of London’s 18th century chimney sweepsģ Blake’s poems were created in response to the British Government’s failure to protect children forced into this dangerous line of work. ![]()
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