The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-19
RI1sKIN AT OXFORD.

writer. signing himself IAN Old Cor
nus Nan" contributes to the Manchester
Guardian. his "reminiscences OF Ruskln at
oxford. Speaking of the change which
came over the philosophy of the university
with the advent of Thomas Green, he
says:
II remember walking home with Will
son from one of Ruskins lectures IN 1872,
when we had been listening, as usual,
to an exquisite harangue containing quite
as much of ethics as of art. Wilson sud
denly turned to me and said: Il wonder
If he has ever read Comte? The ethics OF
his lecture are identical with the 'Politi-
que Positive But then his mind is so
wonderful that he would assimliate such
ideas upon the slightest suggestion; after
all, such thoughts are in the air. Now
that the most brilliant exponent and critic
oil Ruskin's best ethics with the human
Harrison. has noted this general harmony
of Ruskin's best ethics with the human
tarianism of Comte, II is interesting to re-
call this remark of thirty years ago.
Upon the contemporaries at Oxford he
seems to have made an impression OF ex-
traordinary universally. The Guardian
article continues:
profound as was the impression made
upon our minds by the ethical fervor OF
Ruskin's lectures-wherein his interchange
of tenderness and invective and his daring
felicity of illustration reminded one OF
nothing less than the New Testament
what most struck US, in living and con-
versing with him day by day, was the as
tonishing genius of the man. He seemed
to have read all literature, and to be at
home with every author. Whatever he
had read he remembered, and he remem-
bered in no mere mechanical way but
critically and with power OF analysis
wherein reason and recollection went hand
IN hand. He seemed to have seen almost
all beautiful places, and so often as TO
know them by heart; he knew all galleries
and pictures; he had Ell tered into every
kind of innocent pleasure, and could an
Awe its peculiar sources and conditions
of delighht. He had studied. Tor the JOY OF
them. all forms and colors and variations
of cloud and sky, of sunshine. and storm,
of woodland and greensward, and plough
ing. He knew the sea and the river, the
cathedral and the cottage, each kind and
color Of cliff and rock, and every form and
tint Of precious stone or OF flower IN It's
range. and he entered into everything
with the keenest relish. 1t was the same
with every beautiful thing In the world
high or low; he had seen it, he had telt 1t
all. he could describe it with exquisite
delicacy and ease. His extraordinary pow
wers in this kind amazed us; one could
only say it was genius" The word ex-
planned nothing, but it expressed our won
DER
of his manner of living at Oxford we
are told:
"Ruskin's habits were very early and
very regular; he husbanded every hour of
his time. In winter and summer alike.
before / was up, / used to hear his man
servant before six a. M, lighting his fire
and making ready his masters study. Tor
his rooms were on the floor below mine.
He told us that all his serious work and
writing was done before midday. He was
constant in daily attendance at College
Chapel at eight a. M. and equally regular
on Sunday, when he received the sacra-
ment with us all. Nothing could exceed
his manifest devotion and reverence. Yet
he was a keen critic of religion and OF re-
ligious language !. He never forgot
the significance of the name of our col
lege, which witnessed to our founders de-
votion to the Blessed Sacrament. ! spent
a happy hour with him one day IN en-
deavoring to devise a Latin inscription Tor
a set of his works which he was present
ing to the college library. We know how
he loved symbolic language, and he wanted
to express in Latin the thought (as he
said) that she was giving these books to
the fellows and tutors who were here min
istering to the body of Christ" / forget
whether we found phrase to satisfy US.
But the idea found perfect expression in
his own life"