The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-30
Correspondence Of the New York Times.

LoSDDS. July o, lcuo.
saThere was curious meeting the other
day Of some branch Of the Social Science
Association. Among the gentlemen pre-
sent was Mr.. John Ruskin, who every now
and then leaves his pictures and his crys-
tails and pitches into the professors OF po-
lisical economy. To me, Mr.. Rnskin is the
most interesting person in England-the
poet Of art, science, and philanthropy. ne
lives on commanding eminence III sou'h
ern suburb Of London, in an elegant man
sion with handsome gardens ana iawns.
His collection Of pictures ana draNinss
1.-THE wonderful Turner's packed away IN ~, ,ns
bottom Of his writing -table) ID only equal'eu
by his collection Of crystals-the most won
derful, beautiful, breath-taking colecsloh
have ever seen. But there is no curiosity
80 great as John Ruskin. HIS works are
too widely read in America that | should
need TO speak of them but suspect that
the fact that he expends the income of
fortune (said to be equal to sS,000,0o0) in
works Of philanthropy is not much known
even in England. 1t is so well known, how
ever. that the time Of q confidential secre-
.ary is entirely occupied in answering calls
upon his benevolence. His later works are
filled with ideas OF human relations 80 op..
posed 10 the current doctrines of universal
selfshness, free trade, buy cheap and sell
dear, and devil take the hindmost--the
Darwinian hypothesis Of fraud and hypo-
crisr br natural selcction-that the adVo-
Gates of universal robbery are trying 10
drive him back to his pictures and crystals,
go as to leave the ingenious youth OF treat
Britain to Mill, or Mill-and-Water-Pro-
lessor Fawcett. Mr.. Ruskin attended the
social science meeting, as hope he will ut
tend the next annual meeting, and as me
discussion was on the relations OF capltai
and labor. he took occasion to PROFOUND Il
few questions to the political economists
who Justify theft on scientific principles.
Here are some of his questions ~
at is said that without the capitalist Ia
Dor could accomplish nothing. Did labor
accomplish nothing in the long periods when
accumulation was forbidden or impossible
If capital is necessary, are capitalists so !?
Whence is all capital first derived? What
is the effect of unproductive labor on the
wages fund What is productive labor
What is the effect of unproductive labor Oh
the great capitalist employer, the purchas-
ing public? What is the limit OF price I'M
der the natural laws Of labor! how 40
these natural laws affect the wages OF ON.
GERS of the Government Does the law III
a man will not work neither shall he eat
apply to all classes Of society"
Mr.. Ruskin said the political economists
took the ground that man was predatory
animal: he believed that he was an a1lec-
tomato animal. No household could be
properly constituted on the predatory prln-
ciple. The proper end Of social science is
to introduce comfort and happiness into as
many houses as possible.
The PaH Mall answers these questions
hippantly enough out of pride, but alG
questions remain. The spirit OF the 1""
MaH philosophy may be judged OF by
sample: .-.. .
elf save a man from drowning on con-
dition that he willg give me his whole estate,
he is better off than if leave him to drown.
1t improves the condition of both parties,
and the same is true Of all trade"
doubt if the principle was ever stated
with so much cynical trankness. 1t could
only be improved by supposing that the
man had been corncred and driven into
the water. Or it might be varied in this
way. | have man ut the dangerous end
of my revolver, and say, "lour money or
YOUR life " He is better off to give me
his money than to have bullet through hls
brain. /" 1t improves the condition OF both
parties, and the same is true of all trade"
Man is predatory animal, no doubt, just
az he is in some cases, q cannibal. lie be-
HAYES like fox, wolf, or hyena; but there
is no use in teaching him that he can and
ought to do no otherwise, and that it Is both
natural and scientific to behave like
beast, and break every commandment III
the decalogue. ...
THE MARRIAGE QUESTION.
The most widely circulated of the London
dailies has anticipated the dull season by
introducing the old, well-worn question OF
how much income suflices for prudent or
justifable marriage. Gushing girls and
not less sentimental boys are sure they
could get on very we'll on Gl50 year !;
mothers with marriagcable daughters stipu-
late for $3.50; but cynical bachelors will
not hear of less than 1900, and are rather
disposed not to marry ut any price. In
this matter the disciples of Mr.. Mill, in
theory ut least, are increasing III numbers.
All the over-population, poverty, vice,
crime, and misery Of the world, comes OF
early and imprudent marriages. If people
had only reasonable self-control, and re-
fused to assume obligations they could not
fulfil, there would have been no glut in the
labor market, no need of English or Irish
emigration every child born would be pro-
yided for, and humanity, if less numerous,
would be more respectable and happier.
An indignant Millite in the Telegraph de-
nounces the English idea, which he says is
also a Protestant rejection against Popery
that the chief end of man is to marry, null
tiply babies, and increase the squallor and
misery of superintendent populations.
In the higher classes of English society
marriage is etFectually discouraged by the
tariff placed upon it in the increased cost
OF living and the greater demands Of fash
ion, Men will not, and women cannot,
marry unless their incomes reach this re-
quired expenditure of the sphere in life to
which they have been educated. The man
has his furnished lodging and his club, with
free range of society; women become IN
dependent and turn their attention to poll
tics, social science, literature, and art
Single men and single women, of ma
ture age, are coming to be an I'M
portant feature in English society
Monks and nuns are considered immoral
and celihate clergy abominable; but
thousands of celibates of both sexes
mingling in society is wise and prudent,
and sanctioned by the highest authorities
The Ritualists sneer at the wives and
daughters of their Bishops, and, as they
get to practice confessions Pine for an
unmarried clergy. But in the lower
classes, where prudence is most needed,
such notions are entirely imperative. With