JOHN RUSKIN

I

WHEN Ruskin's name is mentioned, as it often and deservedly is in the present day, he is referred to as a beautiful writer of the English language, as a celebrated Art-critic, or, it may be, as holding peculiar views in Social and Political Economy.

Such notes of Ruskin are justifiable-he is a beautiful writer of the English language-none more so; he is an Art-critic of commanding influence, and he does hold peculiar views in Social and Political economy; and yet, when Ruskin names himself, he chooses significantly the name of "Prophet."

This self-chosen name of Prophet does justice to what is perhaps the most important side of his nature—the moral and religious side.

John Ruskin had "visions of the heart," and these he has uttered faithfully and fearlessly: he is intensely earnest about moral and spiritual verities. His whole nature has its roots deeply set in Religion and God.

Comparing himself to John the Baptist, he delivers as his own message to the age the old message of the Baptist," And now also the axe

is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

When Carlyle, gifted beyond most with intuition into character, wrote of Ruskin, it was as a "Prophet" that he wrote of him. "Of all men now alive," says Carlyle, "Ruskin has the best talent for preaching," and again, "There is in Ruskin a ray of real heaven."

In these two sentences the Master hits off admirably the essential characteristics of John Ruskin, who was pleased to consider himself one of Carlyle's pupils. There is, indeed, a ray of real heaven in Ruskin; nay, we may go further and say of him, as was said of Spinoza, that he is a "Godintoxicated man." He is essentially a preachera preacher of Righteousness; his books are his

sermons.

It is impossible to enter into fellowship with him through his writings without receiving impulses towards things that are true, things that are lovely, and things that are good.

As is well known, Ruskin holds many peculiar notions. He is, for example, dead against Railroads, Machinery, and Usury. He does not think that the people of our day are either healthier, wiser, or happier, because they are dragged from place to place "behind a kettle," even at a mile a minute. He is a strong believer in people using their limbs to walk with, and their hands and arms to work with; and in such natural forces as wind and water.

Ruskin gets wild about Usury, increasing Capital by lending it; declaring that Usury is God-forbidden guilt; that it is worse than theft-obtained either by deceiving people, or by distressing them, -generally by both. According to his teaching, all Usury is increase to one person, by decrease to another; "increment to the rich, and decrement to the poor, the labourer's deficit, and the capitalist's efficit."

In response to one who inquired, how it came to pass that, holding such strong opinions about Usury, he himself took rent from his houses, and interest on his money lying in the Bank; Ruskin requested that this correspondent and others would meantime suspend their judgment regarding him on this matter. And in response to one who inquired, why he himself used the Railway, whilst pouring out upon it the vials of his indignation, he replied, that he would "use the Devil himself, as a local black, if he were available."

The secret of Ruskin's severe denunciations of railways, factories, and so on, is not far to seek; it arises in a great measure from his intense love of Nature, and his laudable desire that people should get face to face with Nature as much as possible. "He wants to keep the cheeks of England red, and her fields green." He wants to keep the air pure, and the rivers clean.

He is well aware that there are many sinners against the light, beauty, and purity of Nature, both in England and in Scotland. The "Water of Leith" is" well, one can't say in civilised com

pany," writes Ruskin, "what it is." "At Linlithgow," he writes, "of all the palaces so fair, built for royal dwellings, the oil floating on the streams can be ignited; burning with a large flame." 'Talk about the beauties of Nature, with the Teviot as black as ink.'" "I saw," he goes on to say, "the putrid carcase of a sheep lying in the dry channel of the Jed, under Jedburgh Abbeythe stream being taken away to supply a single mill.”

Peculiar in many things, he is also peculiar in his notions of how houses should be built, and towns constructed. He has a beautiful and pregnant passage, to the effect that we ought not to forget that God dwells in our cottages, as well as in our churches; sending home the lesson, that we should see to it that God is as well housed in the one as in the other. This passage is fairly well known: "I should like to destroy most of the Railroads in England, and all the Railroads in Wales. I would destroy, and rebuild, the houses of Parliament, the National Gallery, and the East end of London. I would destroy, without rebuilding, the New Town of Edinburgh, the North Suburbs of Geneva, and the City of New York."

Ruskin, it may be observed, is no party man in Politics. He confesses that he has a sincere love of Kings, and that his chief desire is to see them, although he holds strange ideas of what they really ought to be.

He is neither a Liberal nor a Tory;-never voted in his life for a Member of Parliament, and never means to do so. Sometimes he calls himself a

Tory-a Tory, that is to say, of "the old school," -the school of Walter Scott, and of Homer. And sometimes he calls himself a Communist-a "reddest of the red." "We Communists," he writes, "of the old school, think that our property belongs to everybody, and that everybody's property belongs to us."

As in Politics, so in Religion; Ruskin belongs to no Sect, or Church. He is neither Presbyterian, nor Episcopalian, neither a Protestant, nor a Roman Catholic. He calls himself a "Catholic of the Catholics."

There are two texts in the Bible, very dear to him, which express best his religious beliefs. There is that word of the Hebrew Prophet, Micah, in the Old Testament" What doth the Lord require of thee, O man, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" And there is that word of Mary in the New Testament, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."

He writes of what he calls that miserable question -the Schism between Catholic and Protestant;a "miserable question, in view of the Eternal schism, cloven by the very sword of Michael, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth Him not."

Ruskin is peculiar also in the titles of his books; in the way in which he would have them purchased, and in the price which he sets on them. Many of his books have strange titles; such as Fors Clavigera, Sesame and Lilies, The Eagle's Nest, Ethics of the Dust," Unto this Last," Construction of