Telegram-herald., 1890-03-05
HIS LIFE EBBING AWAY.
Ruskin, The Famous Author and
Master Critic. Dying
nis Mind Wrecked BY Long siekne>>
Hs~ ne l. Belessd-his beA~tie4
Gardens. Literary hsOits Ana
social Traits
ooFYklGsr 1870

ueLS0 oY t1e news that JohA h1SAlhi
the greatest OF living critics, ana. since
Carlyle, the foremost exponent ot that
remarkable school OF Nhlch Ihe errstie
Scottish genius was the master, ls very
near MS end. He mas been aillng Tor some
time past, but his friends bad hopes
that il Was not really serious Now,
however. comes the news that there
are indications OF the once powerful
mind breaking down under the
burden OF age and sickness, and
that Ruskin is little better than babe
in the hands of his nurse
ran down 10 Conniston few days be-
fore .ne III news came, in the hope
that, although sick, be might still DO
able 10 meet me. Very few people who
go 10 the beautiful Lake District Of
England are aware that one OF the
greatest Of living men has bis homo
within its borders. Wordsworth painted
the lakes on canvass that is I'M
perishable; but il is the dead whom the
living most honor Yet the time will
come when Bran twooi by the Connis-
ton will be Mecca for the thousands
who have read Sesame and Lilies,
and the Seven Lamps of Architec-
ture."
II was Sunday morning when | walked
70 Commission, over the mountain passes,
past Ellswater, Skelwaite Bridge,
Esthwa ie Water and through the viii
lage OF Hawkshead. On this particular
day the Professor was at home, but
was SO sick that he could see no one.
1t was great disappointment TO him
self as well as TO the villagers that he
was unable to go to church.
''Oh, no. SIR" said the attendant.
Hes sick, you know, sir, and he has
Just come back from the seashore. He
hasn't been about much of late"
All this was accompanied by such
gloomy expression of countenance. and
spoken so lugubriously. that | made
further inquiries. 1t was too true; the
master was i'll and the gravest appre-
tensions were felt as to his condition.
II was feared that the end was not very
far of. Some friends were bouyed up
by the hope that like his other seizures
the present illness would pass away;
but his physicians held out no such en-
couragement. IL seemed that the sands
of the great mans life were slowly
running out and that his death might
occur at any time.
The love the simple country folk
about Commission bear Tor kuskin is
something touching and beautiful. at
Ambleside, I have found many who
never heard OF Harriet Martineau; at
Rydal some could direct you 10 Rydal
Mount and q few knew that Words
worth had once lived there; but there
were many who had never heard OF the
name. The same was the case at the
homes of Hartley Coleridge and
Thomas De Quincey in the Rydal neigh
borhood. But at Conniston everybody
knows Ruskin, who lives with those
around him, and who love him. He is
rarely seen in the Lake District, out of
sight OF his beloved lake and the little
village by its side. Every villager one
meets has some kind word to say of the
master, who is now lying so weak in
the great house at Brentwood, as Rus
kin's home is called. He has many SER
wants, and is generally believed to be
giving lavishly. He began by bestow-
ing upon poor relatives the bulk of the
splendid fortune he inherited, reserv-
ing for his own use only GS, 600 sterling
annually. and even that he gave away.
Still, his income has been a very large
one from his books and other literary
work While he has lived at Brant-
wood he has had secretary to trsnscribe
his copy for the publishers, for his own
handwriting was so villianous that few
cared 10 attempt to decipher it.
Maybe the printers couldn't read il. -
said one of his friends. ut would be
like shorthand to most people
When Ruskin lived at Denmark Hill,
near London, before coming to Brant-
wood, he was the bosom friend OF Car
lyle, and the two were almost insepara-
Bile. This friendship ceased almost al
together after he came to the lakes. Il
was very singular. the love Of these two
men. so Numerically opposed in many
things
The Professor was a mad worshipper
OF Carlyle" friend of both told me.
His admiration even went to the point
OF imitation, in some things. Many a
little quarrel did they have. yet they
always patched up hearty truce some
how. think Mrs. Carlyle, who liked
Ruskin, was mainly instrumental in
maintaining good feeling between the
two. They would meet at Carlyle's
house, and a debate would begin tha
would finally come TO very high terms.
Mrs. Carlyle. always watchful and
keenlv interested in all that was going
on. would interrupt the wrangle and cry
out in parliamentary phrase: 'Dividel
Divide The hint was enough. A divis-
ion OF the house would always result in
amutual smile and hsndsbaking.
Brentwood. where. by toe way, Mr..
LYNN Linton, the American engrsver.
once lived. is neat house Of to-erable
size. but with no striking architectural
features There is quiet repose in Us
general aspect. which Is very pleasing
20 the eve. The house was built long
before Mr Ruskin moved into it. nearly
twenty yearssaEo. and there have been
very few alterations in his time, IL any.
He does not own the property. bat
rents. "a nearly every body does
in this district One is con
stsntlT confronted with large owner
ships which includes whole villages
Anywhere IN these woods there u no
cleared land along the side OF the lake
the vaser o. Conniston can be seen a
quarter Of nile vide. smooth as
glass and three niles long On ths