The Life of John Ruskin. W. G. Collingwood
THE LIMESTONE ALPS (1863)
"THE CROWN OF WILD OLIVE" (1865-1866)
PROFESSOR AND PROPHET (1870-1900)
FIRST OXFORD LECTURES (1870-1871)
ST. GEORGE AND ST. MARK (1875-1877)
DEUCALION AND PROSERPINA (1877-1879)
THE DIVERSIONS OF BRANTWOOD (1879-1881)
THE RECALL TO OXFORD (1882-1883)
PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH EDITION
This book in its first form was written nearly twenty years ago with the intention of contributing a volume to a series of University Extension Manuals. For that purpose it included a sketch of Ruskin's "Work," with some attempt to describe the continuous development of his thought. It had the advantage—and the disadvantage—of being written under his eye; that is to say, he saw as much of it as his health allowed; and it received his general approval.
To explain my venturing upon the subject at all, I may perhaps be allowed to state that I became his pupil in 1872 (having seen him earlier), and continued to be in some relation to him—as visitor, resident assistant, or near neighbour—until his death.
After his death the biographical part of my book was enlarged at the expense of the description of his writings; and in revising once more I have thrown out much relating to his works, chiefly because they are now accessible as they were not formerly.
W.G.C.
CONISTON, May 1911
THE LIFE OF JOHN RUSKIN
BOOK I
THE BOY POET (1819–1842)
CHAPTER I
HIS ANCESTORS
If origin, if early training and habits of life, if tastes, and character, and associations, fix a man's nationality, then John Ruskin must be reckoned a Scotsman. He was born in London, but his family was from Scotland. He was brought up in England, but the friends and teachers, the standards and influences of his early life, were chiefly Scottish. The writers