Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-01-30
Washington GLADDEN. on Rus
kin.


Rev Washington GLADDEN. delivered
Inc eulogy on the late John Ruskin,
ind it is printed partially in the Ohio
State Journal of Monday. The speak
IF relates so many interesting things
If the departed man that we are led to
believe their publication will please
our readers.
John Ruskln was born inthe heart of
London, Feb s, 1873, of prosperous
Scotch parents; his home was one of
comfort and culture where the dlscip-
line was Spartan in its severity. The
boy had but little of the ordinary life
of children-few toys, no luXuries,
hardly any companions-he was never
amused nor coddled; me went to school
but a term or two before going to the
university; his preliminary training
was given by his parents and by pri-
vate tutors. AT the age of four he was
reading and writing, at six he was
bookworm, writing books as well as
reading them, for he had learned to
print with his pen, as children do, and
he made a whole library of original
literature before he was 10 years old.
The summer tours in their carriage,
in which the Ruskin family visited all
parts of Great Britain, gave him
themes for description in prose and
verse; the work of his childhood is
marvelously perfect in literary form.
When he was but Is, an essay upon
Mountain Forms appeared in the
Magazine of Natural History; not long
afterwards we find this schoolboy on
the staff of the Magazine of Archltec-
ture, and doing large share of the
writing. In the university his regular
studies did not keep him from the use
of his pen. A series of magazine ar
ticles on the Poetry of Architecture"
was written at the age of II, were
widely read. His literary style was
practically formed while he was still
in his teens.
Shortly after his graduation he pub
lished anonymously the first volume
of Modern Painters" book which
profoundly stirred the whole artistic
world 1t was largely defense of the
work of Turner; it contained many
extravagances, some unjust deprecia-
fnnpHaH anthnci-
asms, but its high purpose makes it a
memorable and inspiring book. When
he teaches us of truth of tone and col
or of sky and clouds and mountains
and water, must abide in the memory,
and gnide the mind in all its appre-
Citations of nature and art. Four
more volumes of Modern Painters"
followed this at longer or shorter in
tervals. The Seven Lamps of Arch
ltecture," "The Stones of Venice"
Lectures on Architecture and Paint
ing" and many other articles and vol
umes on the same theme, all preach
the same strenuous gospel of fidelity
to the truth of nature and to our own
highest ideals.
The first 40 years of Ruskin's life
was devoted to the regeneration of
art; the second 40 years to the regen-
Grafton of society. He had begun in
the early fifties, to despair of ever
having a high and noble art unless the
life OF the people were nobler. The
best art he said, must be the spOn-
taneous expression of the life of
happy people; are cannot make people
happy; it is a happy people which Gre
ates art. And no people can be hap
py which worships idols of silver or
gold, or believes that a mans life
consists in the abundance of the
things which he possesses. For him
there was thenceforth but one voca-
tion-to rouse the conscience of Eng
land to the need Of social reform.
It is impossible to examine his crit
icisms upon the economic notions
which were current when he began to
write, 1t has never been difficult to
show the untenableness of some of his
positions. In some respects he allied
himself to the Socialists, but in his
central ideas he was not Socialist,
nor even a Democrat; his Utopia was
A transfgured feudalism-no democ-
racy for him. His economic and polit-
ical theories went far astray. but he
was not wrong in his central conten-
tiCn: There is no wealth but life
life including all its powers of love, of
Joy, of admiration. That country is
the richest which nourlshes the great
est number of noble and happy indi-
thta man is richest, who hay-
Ing perfected the functions of his own
life to the utmost has also the widest
helpful influence, both personal and by
means of his possessions, over the
lives of others"
In his college days he suffered a dis
appointment in love which nearly cost
him his life; nine years later he mar
ried a young Scotch girl-the match,
apparently, being made by the parents
IN both sides; and after six years his
wife departed from his home never to
,eturn. 1t is a painful story, but those
Who knew him best acquitted him of
I'll blame, and held him in higher hon
Or because of this experience. Eight
zen years later a young woman to
whom he had become devoted, and
With whom his friends hoped he might
nannily snend the afternoon of his