Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-12-12
Ruskin on Dying Poor.

that man ought to die poor. Nothing,
says Mr.. Hamerton, in the International
RerisJc. can be more opposed to our
usual English theory, that the beauty
of dying, and its blessed consolation, is
the sweet assurance that we shall 'cut
up handsomely" 81 shall die rich"
said Lancashire manufacturer to me,
with the conviction that it was a beauti
full end to look forward to. For Mr..
Ruskin there will be no such bliss.
Whatever may be said against his views,
nobody can deny that they are more
easily carried into practice than those
of my manufacturing friend, To die
poor is given to many; to die rich is the
lot of a few. Even the rich man may
die poor if he will only spend freely
and be liberal beyond his income. This
is what Mr.. Ruskin has done and been.
His father and mother left him fl57,-
900 in hard cash, and lot of property
also in houses and lands, beside valu-
able collection of pictures. Following
the advice of wise business men, he in
vested one third of the cash in mort
cages whereby he lost 100000. This
seems to be the only loss of importance
of quite voluntary kind. A sum of
fl7 900 has been freely given to poor
relations; another of f10. 900 has been
lent to a cousin, to whom the debt is
also freely forgiven. Mr.. Ruskin's gift
to Sheffield and oxford cost him f14 900.
The rest of the cash has gradually dis
appeared by the familiar process of fix
ing expenditure above income, the an
nual expenditure being f5, 500, and kept
steadily to that figure when the capital
had been so reduced as no longer to
Weld that interest. The most curious
thing is, that this year, 1877, is the last
of Mr. Ruskin's existence as rich man,
so he allows himselfa trifle of 6, 900 to
be spent in amusement at Venice or
elsewhere. He does not intend to COM
nit suicide next December, but merely
to invest money enough in the funds to
bring him a pound sterling per day, or
fraction less. He keeps his house,
but gives most of his other properties
awav
This line of action has from the first
been dedicated by Mr.. Ruskin's natural
temper, which is not one Of careless
ness about money matters in the usual
sense, but extravaganza and generosity
on principles of his own. Perhaps he
may object to my word extravaganza,
since his expenditure has always been
carefully restricted. Well, so 1T has ;
but to sum considerably beyond W hat
he could really afford; and the best
proof of an extravagant disposition is
this allowance of f3, 900 for mere amuse-
ment this year in Italy. l need hardly
observe that single man might amuse
himself during whole year in Italy
for fifth of that sum, seeing everything
and living at the best hotels. L do not
question Mr.. Ruskin's right to do what
he likes with his f3 900, especially after
his gift of much larger sums to others !:
| but for man who is to live on FL day
during the rest of his existence, such a
costly excursion is an odd apprentice
ship to poverty. Again, Mr.. Ruskin
tells us that he spent fl5,0O0 on his
country house, which was certainly ex-
travagant in proportion to his means.
think have proved the extravaganza /;
the generosity needs no proving. Mr..
Ruskin, after fashion of his own, Is
one of the most generous of men, and
continues to be so, as he reserves his
literary earnings to his charities. 1t
seems very doubtful whether, before
this voluntary acceptance of compara-
tive poverty, Mr.. Ruskin had fully re-
allied its consequences. 1t may not
matter now, but money was wonder
full help to him during his most produc-
tive years. 1t is great thing to have
capable assistants; to be able to Withhold
a volume until it is ripe: to be able to
reject and destroy engravings which
are not quite up to the mark. 1t is a
great thing to have full leisure for the
collection of materials, ample time and
means for comfortable travelling, Sc