4 ms·

John Ruskin Taught Victorian Readers and Travelers the Art of Cultivation

31 points by samclemens 10y ago

cafard 10y ago
It is curious that you should post this, for Mark Twain in Innocents Abroad shows signs of reacting against Ruskin's preference for the pre-Raphaelites. And I suspect Lewis Carroll of taking Ruskin at a bit less than the standard valuation, given the lines from "Hiawatha's Photographing": Next the Son, the Stunning-Cantab: He suggested curves of beauty, Curves pervading all his figure, Which the eye might follow onward, Till they centered in the breast-pin, Centered in the golden breast-pin. He had learnt it all from Ruskin (Author of 'The Stones of Venice,' 'Seven Lamps of Architecture,' 'Modern Painters,' and some others); And perhaps he had not fully Understood his author's meaning; But, whatever was the reason All was fruitless, as the picture Ended in an utter failure.
bshimmin 10y ago
It always makes me a little sad that no discussion of Ruskin can occur without at least some mention of his first wife's pubic hair (allegedly, no doubt apocryphally, the discovery of which on Ruskin's part led to their marriage never being consummated) or the wretched story of Rose La Touche. Unto This Last is probably one of the more important books I've ever read (and I wish I'd thought more deeply and more often about the words "There is no wealth but life" during the fifteen years or so since I first read it), but it seems impossible to advocate or encourage reading him when the more prurient aspects of Ruskin are all anyone seems to care about now. If you're ever up in the Lake District in the north west of England, Ruskin's house, Brantwood, is well worth a visit.
- panglott 10y ago
  This comment about his wife's pubic hair prompted me to read the original article; but alas, pubic hair is not mentioned there, but brought up only in this comment.
  - bshimmin 10y ago
    This article is fairly typical on the subject: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2014/jul/06/john-ruskin-repulsed-by-wifes-pubic-hair https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2014/jul/...
- jimnotgym 10y ago
  And if you are ever in Oxford there is a fabulous painting of Ruskin on the top floor of the Ashmolean by Millais. This is significant as Millais apparently had no problem with Ruskins wifes pubic hair and married her after the annulment. Ruskin insisted Millais finished the portrait despite this. Also it is a stunning picture
clock_tower 10y ago
Anyone interested in Ruskin will be more interested in William Cobbett and William Morris -- especially Cobbett, whose advice on farming and small-scale productivity is very intriguing reading today. Chesterton, Belloc, Lewis, and Tolkien inherited Cobbett's, Morris', and Ruskin's prejudices, but there was no longer an English peasantry to defend in their day; so they had more of an air of crotchety carping old-timers than Cobbett, Morris, or Ruskin ever did.

31 points by samclemens 10y ago

It is curious that you should post this, for Mark Twain in Innocents Abroad shows signs of reacting against Ruskin's preference for the pre-Raphaelites. And I suspect Lewis Carroll of taking Ruskin at a bit less than the standard valuation, given the lines from "Hiawatha's Photographing": Next the Son, the Stunning-Cantab: He suggested curves of beauty, Curves pervading all his figure, Which the eye might follow onward, Till they centered in the breast-pin, Centered in the golden breast-pin. He had learnt it all from Ruskin (Author of 'The Stones of Venice,' 'Seven Lamps of Architecture,' 'Modern Painters,' and some others); And perhaps he had not fully Understood his author's meaning; But, whatever was the reason All was fruitless, as the picture Ended in an utter failure.

bshimmin 10y ago

It always makes me a little sad that no discussion of Ruskin can occur without at least some mention of his first wife's pubic hair (allegedly, no doubt apocryphally, the discovery of which on Ruskin's part led to their marriage never being consummated) or the wretched story of Rose La Touche. Unto This Last is probably one of the more important books I've ever read (and I wish I'd thought more deeply and more often about the words "There is no wealth but life" during the fifteen years or so since I first read it), but it seems impossible to advocate or encourage reading him when the more prurient aspects of Ruskin are all anyone seems to care about now. If you're ever up in the Lake District in the north west of England, Ruskin's house, Brantwood, is well worth a visit.

panglott 10y ago
This comment about his wife's pubic hair prompted me to read the original article; but alas, pubic hair is not mentioned there, but brought up only in this comment.
- bshimmin 10y ago
  This article is fairly typical on the subject: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2014/jul/06/john-ruskin-repulsed-by-wifes-pubic-hair https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2014/jul/...
jimnotgym 10y ago
And if you are ever in Oxford there is a fabulous painting of Ruskin on the top floor of the Ashmolean by Millais. This is significant as Millais apparently had no problem with Ruskins wifes pubic hair and married her after the annulment. Ruskin insisted Millais finished the portrait despite this. Also it is a stunning picture

clock_tower 10y ago

Anyone interested in Ruskin will be more interested in William Cobbett and William Morris -- especially Cobbett, whose advice on farming and small-scale productivity is very intriguing reading today. Chesterton, Belloc, Lewis, and Tolkien inherited Cobbett's, Morris', and Ruskin's prejudices, but there was no longer an English peasantry to defend in their day; so they had more of an air of crotchety carping old-timers than Cobbett, Morris, or Ruskin ever did.