Evening star., 1896-10-24
RUskIN'S GREATNESS.
With All HIS Wealth He Hns Dep,.a
Himself.

Rev III. w. Knapp in Chi.ago Inter Ocean
through his father Mr. Ruskin fell heir
10 nearly s1,e00.0o0. to which must be add
eo tne income of his writings But this
ihdh counted his treasures as a trust fund
heia In the interests of suffering merit or
Souths promising talent That he was on
the LONDON committee for the victualing OF
Farls IN 1911 proves that his benevoIence
was as We'll known as Pcabody's or Lady
Burdett-Coutts'. Taxing himself first a
tenth, then half. he finally gave his entire
income If he needed botanical and ar.
works for his studies, he crippled himself
rather than refuse his last spare ~ guineas
TO the widow of a dead artist If for
health's sake and arts sake he wanted 70
I take a trip TO Switzerland. ne would foreeo
II. tiat he might contribute f1Oo to the
truihshahk memorial. If others would not
encourage the study of art i'm schools he
would buy ten water-color drawings of
Nnnam Hunt, paying for each sa15 and
e:VinS them TO the public schools of Lon
uon. IN enc OF his letters TO the working
e en- OF Great Britain he told them what he
nad done and was doing with his money
iof carrying on his st. Georges guild and
rus plans for rent reform. Up to 1877 he
had given away all his fortune save S,,o-
oep But in view of the needs of his work
n.Smens clubs. this amount seemed mucb
too large for his personal wants He there
lore determined to distribute all save ilo oo
Mtrtn OF consols, the interest of which
would bring him in some faN I-non ,bi,
interest he now lives the income of his
DOCKS peIng distributed among his servants
ms old pensioners and his various plans for
social reform. W
He bestowed his art Treasures ,;+, m,
generosity. He gave the marbles which ba
ndu corrected in Greece and his priceless
ltallan drawings to public galleries an5
ossis no.,ss, where they would benefit the
common people. Other art treasures no
gave 10 an art museum in Sheffield thai
workers in iron, making cutlery and housa.
nold utensils, might toll with classic r,,oJcIs
eoore boo,,,. mem and SO learn how TO sprinkle
peaut! upon the table, weave loveliness in
10 carpet and rug. adorn the walls and coll
inss. ne founded guild for redseminp
waste lands outside of London and for re-
bis iaiaI a ruined lives, so giving Booth
nis ideal Tor the farm colony and the for
e-Sh colony. During all the time he y,as
lecturlng at Oxford he went with his SIN,
oents into the streets. where one hour
the chuck holes. UP
Inc foreman of the students was arnol1
Ioyhpee who. under Ruskin's tutelare
Went 10 Whttechapel and gave us the seej
p'.a,- era oi ,he hrst social settlement. Under
t.Iskin 5 influence also John Richard Green
the author of Green's History of the .np
llsh PEOPLE,, gave several years 10 tha
work among the poorer classes in London
; uh.ii ne developed the seeds of consump-
.ioil, When he returned TO HIS studies of
history. Refusing the invitations of the
rich ana putting away the temptation to a
NE OF elegant ease and refined luxury he
gave himself to the poor. His best lee
lures were never given where English
wealth and social prestige were represent-
ed, but were delivered to working girls
clubs and workingmen's associations. If
Rousseau refused the yoke of law and sery-
Ice upon the plea OF genius, this man by
reason Of his talents was careful 10 fulGiI
Guues not expected of medocrity. No man
mas done SO much TO lift the veil which
h'des the grim realities of poverty from
the gay dreams of wealth. Other men have
preached to the poor but dinel with the
rich. Goethe and Byron, for a mess of
pcttage. sold their birthright of influence
over our generation. BY his life and or
ample Ruskin has earned the right to speak
threshold of the nineteenth century.