The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-07-30
RUSKIN'S SACRIFICE.

How He Gave up His Wife to the Man She
Loved.
The London correspondent of The San
Francisco Chronicle tell the matrimonial
history of Ruskin and Millais as follows:
Between 80 and IS, Ruskin met and
was delighted with very pretty and
graceful young woman Of social posi-
ton and nice culture. should say he
had fallen in love with her were he not of
so peculiar physical temperament. He
admired her sufficiently to ask her to be
his wife; and she, approaching his gifts
and scholarship, and fattered by the
preference Of SO distinguished man, ac-
cepted his offer. He questioned her, it
IS reported, as to the nature of hert ec-
ton; expressed the hope that it WAS
spiritual rather than emotional, mainly
platonic in character, as he confessed his
own to be. AS may be inferred, she an
swered in the affirmative, and doubtless
believed firmly every syllable that she
uttered. It would be strange indeed if
any woman should imagine or allow her.
self to be less ethereal Of sentiment than
any man on the planet. With the mutual
understanding that theirs was to be a
union of minds, they were married.
They seemed to get on pleasantly for a
few months-at least it seemed SO to the
husband, absorbed as usual in study
and writing. He greatly admired her
beauty-he probably regarded her as a
picture or statue more than woman
and never wearied of praisingit. DESTROYS
OF having her portrait taken, he chose his
friend Millais, who, with Holman Hunt,
Charles Collins. Dante Russell and others
formed, and still form, the pre- Raphaelite
school, to transfer her features to canvas.
She gave the painter number of sit
tings, and the husband was so much con-
cerned in the work that he sometimes
watched its progress. Millais, as is we'll
| known, is handsome and wlnning-he
| was especially so when young, he is
barely fifty now-and was drawn at once
to the young and lovely wife of his
friend, an attraction that appears to have
been reciprocated. In plain parlance,
Millais and Mrs. Ruskin fell head over
heels, or heels over head, if you like, in
love with one another without the least
intent on their part. Ruskin himself is
said to have perceived the fact, although
the lovers had not been in the slightest
lndlscreet or conventional, or even to
have intimated one to the other the con-
dition Of their hearts. The author of
"Modern Painters is as generous as he is
chivalrous. He did not, as ordinary men
would have done, fly into jealous rage,
nor did he have a scene with his wife.
He told her gently what he had perceived
and assured of his continued friendship
and OF his earnest desire to promote her
happiness at any price She turned Grim
son at the words, as if they had been a
revelation of her own soul, which in part
they might have been. She could not be-
lieve the thing possible at frst-the sur
prises OF the heart are generally over
whelming; butvery soon she acknowledge
ed the truth and the painter did likewise.
The critic condemned himself for dizziness
in thinking platonic marriage natural or
satisfactory, and announced his wiling
ness, yea, gladness to assist the pair to a
felicity they were obviously fitted for.
Instead OF putting any obstacles in the
way, he would remove the only one to
their love and happiness himself
he kept his word faithfully. Under the
peculiar circumstances there was no
trouble in obtaining divorce. The mat
ter was managed privately, without any
scandal, and in duo time Mrs. Ruskin,
who was, became Mrs. Millais, who is.
They have proved from all accounts a
most harmonious couple, and they are as
much to one and other to-day as thew
were during the honeymoon. Moreover.
Ruskn continues to be the firm friend
Of both, visiting them regularly and shar.
ing in reflected manner in their happii.
ness-a fact which demonstrates the
largeness and nobility Of Ruskin.s natnna