New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-26
UR. RTShIN AND HIS WORK.
A PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES.

From The London Daily News.
The address to Mr. Ruskin, referring to his
economic and artistic work, recalls % my mind
a conversation | once had with MN IL was on
the occasion Of one OF his last visits 70 London,
nov some ten years ago. lie talked 70 me on
that occasion of his work in both k.nds-of his
art criticism, in a light and bantering way; OF
his economic criticism very earnest! anu Win
some bitterness.
What Mr. Ruskin says in his books or else
where in Disagreement Of his ART criticism
need not Of course. be taken very seriously. his
fame as an Interpreter Of art ana nature Is Sc
cure; his position as master OF tnSlish l. uh-
questioned He can we'll afford L. laugn at
himself a little. to acknowledge MS superficial
Inconsistencies. to deprecate the lndlactlnihdt-
ing enthusiasm Of some Of his admirers. On the
nroasion to which | refer Mr.. Ruskin was stay
ing in his familiar quarters at Morley Ho.eb
and had just returned from VISIT Cd tie Nd-
tional Gallery when | called. The Gallery ne
said lis now greatly improved; the new rooms
are delightful, and the hanging IS quite a beau
tiful piece Of work Some Of my old iaNoIltes
thought more beautiful than ever before. boIu-
cells circle Of angels for instance j. most
lovely. and what an amount OF work tnere Is IN
it, With most painters you see al once the
pains they were at but here it is not obvious.
But have come away, must tell you IN very
humble mood To begin with, don IKE
Raphael. but the new picture (the 'Ahs,del Ma
donna) is perfect. | cannot deny 1.-THE owe
Hest Raphael i'm the world, | think. But. lnleen
on all sides | have been impressed to-day more
strongly than ever with the exhaustless beauty
and industry Of the Italian masters. The con-
trast between them and the littleness ana BAD
even of the best Of the English
modern painters struck me most painiIly
Why" he added, with smile, Tor | may as
well make a clean breast of 1t, l even found
myself admring Canaletto's pictures Of Ven-
ice"-Canaletto. whom the champion o. modern
painters had in other days denounced FOR ms
miserable. virtueless. heartless mechanism
and whose mannerism he had characterized as
he M degraded in the whole range OF art.
I suggested remember. that Mr.. Ruskin could
not have been To Venice la'ely, and that his own
sensations of the light and color Of the place
must have become subdued 10 CanalettOs
key But ne would not accept the suggestion.
NO" he said. lit was Canalettos good work
manship he found himself admring After all
the old painter of Venice was a good crattsman
in OIL" and the champion Of Turner had stood IN
disgust and grief before the rack and ruin 0t
the modern painters work.
From pictures turned To politics. Mr.. Rus
kin's tone and manner changed IN moment
from gay to grave For here IL was no case Of
people having believed him too implicitly His
burden was that no one had believed him AZ all
Here, nevertheless. he had nothing ID retract or
white down. Il dislike my books. he sald
more than most authors. yet ! am convinced
that all the central teaching Of Unto this Last
and 'Munera Pulveris' is entirely true. The
world will not hear me; yet IL VIII 1--we 10 dls-
cover some day that nations cannot live on gum
powder and iron. but only on corn. ana that me
only way to deal with this sort ~ thing'-and
here he went to the window and looked OUT
upon the Unemployed demonstrating in the
square-"is not by mere giving. not by charity
at SO much per cent ransom, but by personal
service"
| told him. remember. how many signs there
were of echo to his teachings on these SUD-
jects. What | said then is even more true 10,
day. Unto this Last" which the Editor OF
Fraser" interrupted in the middle Of its course
through the magazine on account Of its unpopu,,
larity. is now one of the most widely read OF al
Mr. Ruskin's books. His political economy
instead of being a mere object Of contemptuous
ridicule is seriously discussed. and even IN the
seats of the orthodoX-in encyclopPdlas ana M
tiOnaries-his contributions TO the science are
seriously appraised. In many channels Mr. kus.
kns teaching is now guiding some OF the pess
social efforts Of the time. | did not coh|nCe
him OF all this ten years ago and DOUBT II nc
will be convinced Of it now | suppose II "
always so with the master minds
with aching hands and bleeding feet
We dig and heap. lay stone on stone'
We bear the burden and the heat
or the long day. and wish 'twere done
Not till the hours OF light return.
All we have built do We discern
But sometimes and here is the pity ~ H. .ns
hours of light do not return, or they rcIu'" ~
late to encourage the master builder Inc U.s.,
gratulatory address which is To be presenter "
Mr. Ruskin to-day will. may hope con- con.
tribute something to the peaceful quiet .. ~,
retirement But in the days Of his iull SUI -,
and yigor there was no answering echo 10 - :,
ulate his persistence. to control ms pdsS'0' s
direct his practical efforts. what mahcS -,
III" | remember his saying. In the cou'Sev
some deeply pathetic sentences, lis not my "V'N
but the sense that nothing comes OF IL