The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-12
BECGNG LEAVE TO DIFFER.
EOhing Borrowed from The Greeks, Our
Art and Culture Cur Own.
G. A. R. Ia ES Mr.. EUEKIN 70 TASK
He Denies Any and All Adaptation OF
the Discoveries of the Greeks as
Claimed by the Great Author In
1.-THE Ethics of the Dust"

Mr.. Ruskin in "The Ethics OF The
Dust" seemingly to the casual observer
very aptly says. I'VE owe to the Greeks
every noble discipline in literature, every
radical principle Of art, and every form
Of convenient beauty in our household
furniture and daily occupations OF lie'
we are unable ourselves to make rational
use Of half that we have received from
them; and OF our own we have nothing
but discoveries in science and fine me-
chanical adaptations Of the discovered
physical powers"
feel very certain Mr. Ruskin did not
! intend to benttle, compromise. or In
anywise make any concessions regarding
| the many grand things duly accomplished
in the latter half Of our century. 90
not understand that he means all Of the
numerous and wonderful discoveries and
Developments OF which We are justly
proud have come TO us at second-ha
/ and that We have only made the adapta-
lions in the arts. sciences, domestic NE,
etc, demanded by progress as II develop
/ Ell the restless. investigating spirit 50
peryasive at a period now 30 scaEcnlns-
| ly standing and knocking al the almost
open door OF the twentieth century As
/ | take IL there are no such limitations,
no such restrictions no royal highways
FOR human genius at any age or rerlod,
I as Mr.. Ruskil's very expressive lasGlago
would seem 10 indicate. 1, We are 10 take
| him seriously al the present snsrke, value
! OF his very exhaustive utterances. when
surely appear TO US as entirely too der0-
| gatOry 10 the very progressive spiri; now
50 dominant IN every department o. AG-
/ man endeaNor.
WITHSTAND THE STORM
/ for one at least cannot well see how
! SO scholarly a ran. how so observSn;
| thinker. how q writer 20 gifted ia ex-
! pressing his vast fund Of Information, can
| SO far part company with all the self
evident genius and greatness or IN era
| contemporary with his own grand knowl-
edge CT men and things and OF which he
Is 4 part and parcel.
! Certainly then. seeing the matter IN the
light We honestly view il. It must b.
idle to assert. and unjust to claim thai,
all our present greatness in so many
ways IL simply made up o, "adaptatO.s"
from Inc pact. all merely remodelleJ, re-
cast, and renamed We may doubtless
owe much 10 the Greeks in literature.
perhaps very much as 10 order and dis
cipl.ne but there is surely an honest and
well defined limit TO our indebtedness,
which in no wise places in any uncertain
light the assured results Of so much pro-
gress 10 WHOM we have duly attained
think IL - entirely within reasonable
bounds 20 assert that literature has ca
periencsd no degTe. OF decay. received
no uns!ghtly wounds or deadly blows In
al the centuries that are passed In any
manner affecting It's present healthy
growth ard yigor. Its present grand pro-
portions can scarcely be due 10 any spirit
G: Imitation or adaptation apart from
The needs. the demands, and the natnr-
Al trend Of DIR modern civilization. The
survival OF any object ether animal" or
inanlmate. necessarily embraced the per-
!ods OF youth and age; this alike applies
&c our earth. vh!ch was many centuries
youpSer wnen Greece was In her prime.
NOT IMITATORs.
Yet when all her glory reached Its noon
,l5e spiendor and then cepa:tea, II was
but the r.se and fall. the youth and sas
OF a nation coming and going In the
grand order CT Thugs and matters ter
restr.al. We utterly disclaim being in
any sense q part or party to any sIea