The Catholic bulletin., 1912-08-24

L s48 H
of the religious painters OF Italy, how
ever, and reverence for the Catholic
art OF the great ages" helped to save
from shipWreck the faith of this re-
nowned author and kept making him
until his death more and more Catho-
lic-minded.
Under the influence of masters like
Lippi, Ciambu, Giotto, Botticelli, and
Angelica, Ruskin's skepticism quite
evaporated. He discovers, too, d,4ring
these years, as he himself confesses,
the fallacy that religious artists were
weaker than irreligious" Religion in
Giotto." Ruskin bears witness, "had
solemnized and developed every facul-
ty of his heart and hand" At Assist,
indeed, our author entered into COM
munion of spirit with st. Francis that
deeply colored his later writings and
often made them distinctively Catho-
lie in tone
Change of View.
This change in Ruskin's habit of
mind sSowed itself in many ways. Re
vised editions of his earlier works
appeared with many of their ultra
Protestant passages revised or modi-
fed: books like "St. Marks Rest" and
Mornings in Florence'came from his
pen, and series of volumes was plan
ned which were to treat in a sympa-
thetic spirit of the great churches and
monasteries of Europe. But, unfortu-
nately, ''The Bible of Amiens' with it's
beautiful sketches of the saints of
~ledieval France, was the only volume
of the projected work that was ever
published, advancing years and failing
health preventing the author from fin
ishing the rest.
Meanwhile Mr.. Ruskin's Catholic
friends naturally watched with keen
and prayerful interest his growing re-
gard and reverence for the ancient
mother" Aubrey de We're begged Gov
entry Patmore, who was connected
with Ruskin by marriage, to write SER
iously to their common friend ere
specting the claims of the Church on
men who see as much as he does, when
not in perverse moods, of it's character
and it's work." while Cardinal Manning
took care to send Ruskin Catholic books
praised his essays and often enter
tanned him at Archbishop's House. A
lecture, moreover, on Professionalism
that filled with glee the Catholic stu
dents Of Oxford who heard Ruskin de-
liver it, his gift of a fine window to
Catholic chapel, and his remarking
once to Cardinal Manning that mo
educated man could be Christian
without being a Catholic" caused the
great critics Anglican friends consid-
erable anxiety, conversions were so
frequent just then, and provoked many
letters Of inquiry.
But a real Catholic Ruskin never be-
came. 81 was, am, and can be only
Christian Catholic in the wide and
eternal sense" he said, in letter to
the Cardinal, 'T fear," he wrote, "you
are long way yet from being able to
rejoice over your piece which was
lost" It would seem that Catholic
ism, notwithstanding it's appeal to Rus
kin's love Of the beautiful, was found
to be too dogmatic a religion for one
so fond of dogmatizing on every con-
ceivable subject, as was the author of
"F'ors C1avigera."
Though Ruskin himself did not find
the gate of peace, he doubtless helped
to guide thither many another wand
erer by describing and interpreting in
matchless prose some of the Church's
noblest shrines and temples and by
never ceasing to protest with passion
ate eloquence against the ages wor-
snip of wealth and materfalism.