New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-02
ST. GEORGES FUND.
JOHN RUsKIN'S PLAN FOR A RETURN TO
MERRY ENGLAND.


LABoRERs OF GREAT BRITAIN-Ins CHRISTMAS
GIFT TO THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO THE
FUND-INDUsTRIAL PROJECTS CONDUCTED ON A
FEW PRINCIPLES OF HONOR AND HONESTY
yFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiDUNEl
CAMBRIpGE, Feb. 25.-I have just received
the lotn letter 10 addressed by john Ruskp'
under the title OF Fors Cavigera," to tue workmeh
and Iaborers Britain IL is dated JAM l. 9'o
and as II indicates disposition the part OF the writer
20 make the coming monthly letters more direct IN ter
refercnce TO st. Georges Fund" have been pleas
ing myself with review of the entire series up 10 'his
poin for the purpose tracing closely the prog
ress OF a scheme which evidently holds very POSITIVE
form In Mr. Ruskns mind though ITS exact limits nave
not vet been openly shown. -
In January ISL, Mr.. Ruskn began the issue oi MS
monthly letters fragments from which have frequenuy
a,cs in the usually as signals for some
.,strment az what the editor regards as q vaeary OF
-outlapdtsh" freak. The letters, taken separately
seem very desuory and haphaZard, us II the author
merely wrote down what happened TO lie uppermossi ]"
his mind at the time, with no method or thonRh' io
what should follow This view is strengthened by the
freonent addition OF notes and correspondence contain
ing letters from friends to the author with reoi"ue
hints and clippings from current newspapers supposed
10 emphasnze some point IN the "Fors" In haho' OF
previous number Every once in a whlle aiso' seP"
rate page is given TO St. Georges Fund.- where are SCI
down the several subscriptions or gifts, the haes'
the auhs
numbers assigned the several persons interested WIZ
arc a,cua,nted with them and are thus abe 10 auul'
the account so far their separate gifts are
Tins far the account only one side, no expenditure
having been made TO charged 10 the Fund. "hat Is
the Pund and why is 1t called ST. Georges funu' anu
what does Mr.. RuSkin propose TO DO Wl'h w
These onestlons are answered in part by "FOrs
and the reader who reviews the series Is aoc
70 discover single purpose in the letters always heP
m view and disclosed frankly while occasion Is 'hen ~
illustrate from wide range of life and art the uocVes
which control Mr. Ruskins conduct and give the ID" "
his scheme In the first Of his letters from surVe! VI
the condition Of England, he gathers that ne" uecaue
=. h.eup not in happy circumstances; although eX'
.np,ed from the direct caamies which have fallen on
peghboring States his country has not eseapeu 'He
because Of better deservngs nor by better "lsuo" p
only for one Of bad reasons, or iOr Dol ene no
having sense enough TO determine in great hauona
quarrel which side right, not having courage 10 DE-
fsnd the right when 1t has been discefned inueeu c
pereetyes that England bodily fear of the Russlans
the PrnssAps the Americans the Chinese the Japanese
the New Zealanders and the Cafres aud with justice
being conscious that her only real desire respecting "ny
NJ these nations has been TO get as much out OF the ~
she eould "For my own part" he continues, VIII
mt M with this state OF things passivey not an hou
longer hut heneeforward, with any few or many
Who Will help, do my poor best 10 abate this misery
which he nds ssug upon his attention on every sloe
1o which end must clear myself from all sense OF re-
sponsbty for the material distress around me 10y eA
planning to you, for all, in the shortest Enghsh
1 can. what / know Of its causes, by pointing out
10 Won some Of the methods by which II might
~ relieved and by setting aside regularly
some small percentage Of income 10 assist as one OF
yourselves, in what. and all, we all nave 10 do;
each Of Us laying by something according to our MEANS
for the common service; and having among u.s. AZ asI
be Il ever so small national store instead OF national
debt" lie warns his readers that their prosperity de
a1va nd moi "a
eminent or the success OF any political party Industrial
ondeayors upon few simple principles OF honor and hon
es,y are all that needed TO free England from the in
eubus Of poverty and misery.
These principles he formuates at the close Of his second
letter a. &c" To do your own work well whether IT be
forhie or for death. To keep other people ct theirs
when ycu can ana seek 10 avenge no injury. O. To be
.u Won can obey good before seek 10 alter bad
ones" Honesty Friendness, obedience-these are tho
three words py which he seeks TO reform England words
easily spoken may say, yet wrupR bitterly from Car
lyla and Rasku and even irothng little ID Tennysons
MAUD" Let US what practical measures our phi
Iosopher will otter people who pride themselves on
thCir pTactlcaluess.
He tells them that there three material things es-
,eniia 20 fe Pure Air Water. and Earth; three imma-
teria n ings alike essential: Admiration Hope, and Love
They viuate pure air with foul chemical exhaations
while the horrible nests called towns are little more
than for the dstaton into heaven OF ven
emous smokes and SMELLS mixed with efluvla from de-
,aying animal matter, and infectious masmata from
uuruent disease they have turned every river OF En-
tland into "a common sewer; they have turned their
sence 10 the invention Of explosive and beautiful in
stead Of blossoming and ltfe-gving dust. And
for The immateral essential things, instead OF
Admiration they have learned contempt and
sonceit iustiucuvely hating the good and de-
s,roying 1t: and for Hope, the whole spirit Is
doubling and timd with confidence in the future Of
England; while in place OF loving their neghbors as
themselves, they have founded an entire science OF
political economy the basis OF desire to defraud
ones neghbor and have driven woman no longer to ask
for love or fellowship. but for justice so arragning
them be breaks out into the appeal
Are there any OF you who tired OF all this Any
of YOU landlords tenants Employers or workmenf
Are there any laDdOrde-any lnastefs-WhO would Ike
better TO be served by than by iron devilsf Any
tenants any wOTkneu, who can be true to their leaders
faithfully the sake u the Joy OF their homes Will
any the tenth OF what they have ana OF what
they earanOt 10 emigrae with, but TO stay IN England
with and DO what is 10 their hands and hearts 10 make
her "a happy England
great part Of what have If already engaged In main
tanning art workmen or for other objects more or less
estimated as accurately as can you shall see the
Rest seearisy tLa English Law can give on CHRISTMAS
OF tins with engagement To add the 1.-THE of
it or much the object OF such fund being to begip
and Cradually-nO matter how slowly-to increase the
~ butt anon hut cultivated BY Engshmen with their
ewD hands and such help OF force as they find In
WIND and
lido not care with how many bow few this thing is
b.guu what incOusderabe scale, II 10 be in
two or three poor mems gardens. so much, least
can buv myself and give them. 10 no help come have
dune aud raid what could and there will an end
m Any help TO me, II IS TO be on the following
dtODs
We WILL try make some small piece OF English
ground beautiful peaceful aud fruitful. We will have
no steau-engnes upon II and no railroads; will
have INTENDED OF uDthoughtOf creatures on II
wreichcd hut the sick, idle but the dead. We will
have no liberty upon A. but instant obedience TO known
law aud appointed persons; equality upon It. but