New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-26
WITH RUSKIN AT BRANTw0on
A HALF-HoUR's CHAT BENEATH A sv,.
TERING ApPLE.rRrr


to talk with him. is more dificult na,,s,' ~
an entire stranger indeed, such an unds,,.,, 80
is almost impossible, no matter how ard.n, " -.
c.ple he may be. for the incre asins wear. a.. :.
lessening strength OF the great "prose.no.,. w., 's
made 1t necessary to deny admi:tance n r
visitors and particularly to such as come v,,s 't
better credentials than thos. OF the idle cu,,... 10
| seeker.
No one who has ever visited the English L..
country needs to be told that the ride. or 49,
still. the walk from Windermere to Brantvo.s"
In itself worth all the trouble One NAV 80
down by the lakeside. past the pretty. Dustin.
town CT Bowness. and on to the Nab" vh...s
very old-fashioned ferry waits to take you .ero..
the clear blue waters Of Windermere Laks -
the other side the way becomes more and ma.
interesting and beautiful as you first climb a.
steep hill. and then 60 or By way Of Far savn.
and Near Sawrey past Esthwate Water A..
through the little village CT Hawkshead. -.
Wordsworth passed his early school d.v.
steady climb for mile more takes you IA NJ
Cross where the road begins to descend to-.
| Coniston Lake which you can see shinins :, -,
sunlight. with It's sentinel hills towering :. AZ.
north and west Of It. There are not MANY hor..
on the beautifully wooded east bank OF thu ia.
but a good road leads down past Tent roA.'
where Tennyson once lived. and on to BrantvoA
which has been the home Ct Mr. Ruskin N, -,
than twenty years
While on the way 1. Is Interesting to try n A.
gage some OF the country people In conyerst,c.
on the subject OF Mr.. Riskin and his writns,
One grizzly bearded. and rather unusually loon.
cious old fellow. who was working by the ro.a
side Strengthened up with effort when \.
costed him. and said: Mr.. Ruskin? Oh 70. -
very popular; 'e's a professor. We know Lot. =,
people asks about i'm. But 'e's aueer en-, =.
man, too Dye know, sir. 'e's that uuesr >.
won't let is man use a mowin machine on y.
land e says II must be cut by and becau..
a mowin' machine amt natral, an makes IA.
much noise!''
He didn't know that Mr. Ruskin had ever WITT
ten any books and nearly all OF the counts,
people about Conston seem equally Ignorant n
the real reason for the popularity OF their neigh.
Dor at Brentwood. They know him only as Tia
Professor"
learned that Mr.. Ruskln had recovered ,u,.
ficiently from his great Illness to take sho,
walk every morning and afternoon during fai,
weather. did not have letter Of introduction
that I thought Of sufficient weight to warrant
but considered myself fortunate on coming
round turn in the road near the entrance 10
Brentwood 10 recognize the form Of Mr. Ru.klu
coming toward me. He was taking his afternoon
walk, accompanied by his faithful valet who has
been with him for nearly twenty years The
bent form and the slow, feeble step showed only
too plainly that there was little left Of the
strength and energy that were 80 abundant IA
those early days at Brentwood. when Mr. Rus.
kin would allow no else TO use an axe on h!s
property, but was accustomed TO turn woodman
himself. and cut with his own arm all the paths
and walks along the wooded h!llsides. He walked
along now with his eyes fixed the ground
taking apparently no in,eres, in anything about
| him.
When introduced myself ne greeted me pleas.
| an;y but the hand that was extended feeo.y 10
meet my own was thin and nerveless, and his
voice seemed scarcely more than whisper.
sudden shower drove us TO shelter under thick
branching crab-apple tree by the roadside. and
for half an hour We wer imprisoned there.
It seemed only'too plain that Mr.. Ruskn had
not yet recovered entirely from the strange men
tai trouble which played so large part In Ms
Illness. He appeared 10 fall into sort OF leta-
argy. from which he constantly being re-
called by his valet. much Of whose duty seemed
10 consist In the effort to arouse his masters
mental activities by calling his attention 10 orc
natural object after another. When he was ad'
dressed. Mr.. Ruskin would waken from this e'a'
argy with little start followed by faint apolo'
getic smile and an evident effort TO follow "na'
was being said After his attention was once ~
cured, he would show an intelligent enough in'e''
| est in the conversation. When a reference ""
made TO the recent labor trouble in America A1
Ruskin deplored the conflict, bu; did not oetray
any special sympathy with either side as asain'
the other | learned afterward that the Lonooa
papers are read TO him daily. either by MS va"
or else by his cousin Mrs. Severn, who mas oeea
so devoted a guardian to him in these last ""
years al Brentwood
Only once during the half-hour OF waiting W.
der the tree did Mr.. Ruskn exhibit any real.
animation. That was wien the conversa"0.
turned TO Venice and to Mr. Ruskin's stones
Venice" He shook his head with an air OF sAs
ness and said: "Ah. There have been msa!
changes in Venice since 1 wrote tnat 49, 49,.
When II was suggested that most oi I'm I'm.
changes were professedy "restoratons W a.,
| provements" he raised his voice lltse any sS
swered. with good deal Of emphasis ana W." ,sI
something Ike fire In his eye: NO no, .o,ssi
you It's all for the worse. It's all TOT 'He WV
| They've spoiled my Venice" -, p,.k,n
Wheel the shower had ended. MI, ho. AN.
turned obediently at his Wallets reduesi w. " ,sc
tinue their walk while hts American vis rSs,ria
| ried for a better view Of the house anu ~ .,s
Mr. Ruskin's axe has been long unusea .ni
but the walks and clearings are Wei keps .,soa
the lawn and gardens show as careiuI s ~ ner.
as in the days when they were UNDER T ~ Il
sonal and Jealous care OF their owner. Wanted
a little orchard OF thriving fruit trees "a ard
many years ago by Mr. Ruskns OWN ns walls
| and ferns hang the messy Ala.
by the roadside. The house itself is niue
lance from the road and is approached U! - one
carriage drive. with n row Of tall lareness nths,
side and a moss-covered stone wall on 1"s %
Mr. Ruskin's study. where his pen mas .s u most
| little used OF late, overlooks some OF nv, ~. the
| beautiful scenery In the lake dis.'as 80 ann.
whole OF which region is so wonderful "'
house OF every form OF natural beauty 80, IA
II you climb the hill back Of the house, ~ ~
see this wealth OF beauty In all It's richhen rsn.
| lake lies at your feet Where the lawn OF SS.,hf
wood slopes to the water you see the nt,e -. ics
which was built by oxford undersraauss. Ode
|