to Annecy and Geneva, and thence rapidly home, reaching Herne Hill on December 2, and writing in his diary next day : 'Slept well, and hope to be fit for lecture to-morrow; very happy in showing our drawings, and complete sense of rest after three months' tossing." 1 The lecture-included in this volume (pp. 227–249)—was a great success. "Ruskin flourishes," wrote Burne-Jones to Professor Norton"gave a lecture on Cistercian Architecture the other day that was like most ancient times, and of his very best, and looks wellreally looks stronger than for many a year past. The hair that he has grown over his mouth hides that often angry feature, and his eyes look gentle and invite the unwary, who could never guess the dragon that lurks in the bush below." The foreign tour had been in every way a success. It was the occasion, as we have seen, of recalling many pleasant impressions, which were presently to be embodied in one of the most charming of all his books. It was on this tour, also, that he made some of his best and furthest-carried drawings. Two of them, of details from the façade of the cathedral at Lucca (San Martino), are well known. One was at the "Old Masters" Exhibition at the Academy in 1901, and the other at the Royal WaterColour Society's Ruskin Exhibition in the same year; and both were shown at the Fine Art Society's rooms in 1907. Nor, as we have seen, was the period of the tour inactive in literary work. But the principal significance of the tour in the story of his life is that it so restored his health and spirits as to induce him to resume his former work at Oxford. III "Before re-crossing the Alps," Ruskin says, "I had formed the hope of returning to my duties at Oxford." He took steps to let his willingness to resume the Slade Professorship of Fine Art be known. His friend Sir William Richmond, whose tenure of the office had not yet expired, thereupon resigned, and in January 1883 Ruskin was re-elected.3 "Yesterday at evening," he wrote in his diary (January 17, 1883), "came Acland's telegram, announcing reinstated Professorship: 'Dear Friend, may all good attend you and your work in this new condition; 1 Memorials of Edward Burne-Jones, vol. ii. p. 133. Introduction to The Limestone Alps of Savoy, Vol. XXVI. p. 571. * His re-election was the subject of some complimentary verses in Punch, January 27, 1883. once again welcome to Alma Mater."" The telegram reached him at Brantwood, and within a few days he had begun making notes for the course of lectures on The Art of England.1 In the Lent Term, however, he delivered only the first lecture— on Rossetti and Holman Hunt. The second was to be on Burne-Jones, and he went up to London to refresh his impressions of the body of his friend's work: "I want to come," he wrote (March, 1883), "and see all the pictures you've got, and to have a list of all you've done! The next lecture at Oxford is to be about you-and I want to reckon you up, and it's like counting clouds." 2 Burne-Jones was very happy about it, but "forebodings as of the approach of doomsday are upon me," he said : "It's lovely," replied Ruskin (March 14), "to think of your being in that retributive torment. I shan't tell you a word of what I'm going to say! Mind you don't miss any of the foolish things out of the list, as I'm sure to find it out. I'll come on Friday afternoon." It was at this time that Ruskin begged his friend to design for him a gold cross for his May Day Festival at Whitelands: 3 "The cross,' he wrote in the same letter, "is always of pure gold; it may be any shape you like, but it must be hawthorn, because it is for the 1st May, when they choose a May Queen at Whitelands, the girl they love best, and I give her the hawthorn cross, annually, and a whole lot of my books to give away to the girls she likes best." Ruskin was delighted with the cross, and on May Day he wrote: "I have, yesterday, finished your lecture, for 12th May; but I found, of course, that there was no possibility of giving any abstract of you in one lecture, nor without unbalancing the conditions of general review. So this is merely the sketched ground of what I hope at length to say in future." He allowed himself also to be nominated a second time for the Lord Rectorship of Glasgow University. He had the usual fate of independent candidates, and was at the bottom of the poll. The figures were: Fawcett (Liberal), 797; Marquis of Bute (Conservative), 670; Ruskin, 319. See Memorials of Edward Burne-Jones, vol. ii. pp. 130, 131, for this and the following letters. See Vol. XXIX. p. 336. The lecture was delivered on May 12; two others followed it; and after them Ruskin stayed on for some weeks at Oxford, teaching in the drawing-school. He had gone up to London to give the private lecture (June 5), mainly on Miss Alexander's drawings, of which a report is printed in the preceding volume.1 On the following day he attended a performance of the Tale of Troy, and made a speech at its conclusion.2 From Oxford he went to Worcester-a tour mentioned in one of the undelivered lectures included in this volume; and thence by Llangollen to Brantwood. During his summer at home he received many old friends; among them were Mr. and Mrs. La Touche and Professor Norton, who has given his impression on seeing Ruskin again after an interval of ten years: "I had left him in 1873 a man in vigorous middle life, young for his years, erect in figure, alert in action, full of vitality, with smooth face and untired eyes. I found him an old man, with look even older than his years, with bent form, with the beard of a patriarch, with habitual expression of weariness, with the general air and gait of age. But there were all the old affection and tenderness; the worn look readily gave way to the old animation, the delightful smile quickly kindled into full warmth; occasionally the unconquerable youthfulness of temperament reasserted itself with entire control of manner and expression, and there were hours when the old gaiety of mood took possession of him with its irresistible charm. He had become, indeed, more positive, more absolute in manner, more irritable, but the essential sweetness prevailed. Given his circumstances, no ordering of life could have been more happy for him than that at Brantwood. His cousin, Mrs. Severn, was at the head of his household, and the best of daughters could not have been more dear and devoted to him. Her children kept the atmosphere of the home fresh and bright; the home itself was delightful, beautiful within with innumerable treasures of art, and surrounded without by all the beauties of one of the fairest scenes of the English lake country." 4 1 Vol. XXXII. p. 535. "Mr. Ruskin, now seldom seen in public, watched this last representation with evident interest and frequent applause, and at the fall of the curtain consented to join the corps dramatique in the green-room, and present Mr. George Alexander with their testimonial to his stage-management. Mr. Ruskin, who always seems able to say the best thing at the shortest notice, made a brief but excellent speech, and, with a few kindly words to the donee himself, handed him the book-a Shakespeare-as the guide to all that is noblest and truest in English thought' (World, June 13, 1883). For a reference to the performance, see Vol. Xxx. p. 328. 3 Below, p. 511. Letters of John Ruskin to C. E. Norton, vol. ii. p. 165. Ruskin's diary bears out on many a page what Professor Norton here says of Ruskin's happiness with the cousin who kept house for him at Brantwood. Two entries of the present date (1884) are typical of many: 66 "Greatly enjoyed cataloguing with Joan" (July 13). "I never passed a healthier or much happier day than yesterday (July 15), arranging coins with Joan, seeing windhovers on moor, taking Joan up to see anagallis in evening." 1 The visit to Llangollen, mentioned above, was made in connexion with the literary work which was now occupying a large share in Ruskin's thoughts and studies. "Getting on with my history," 'seeing into the Benedictines," "reading marvellous passages by Montalembert" are entries in his diary of the time (June 25, July 18, 1883). They refer to the studies in the History and Architecture of Early Christianity, which he had announced as being in preparation to follow The Bible of Amiens. One of these other volumes in the projected series of Our Fathers have Told Us, the sixth, was to treat, as we have seen, of monastic architecture, and to be called Valle Crucis. He went therefore to Llangollen to renew his knowledge of Valle Crucis Abbey; and later in the year he took occasion of the visit to Scotland, which has been referred to in an earlier Introduction,2 to visit the scene of St. Ninian's foundation. Early in October Ruskin was again in Oxford, delivering the last two of his lectures on The Art of England and attending in his drawing-school. On his return to Brantwood he gave the lecture on Sir Herbert Edwardes, which was afterwards expanded into A Knight's Faith.3 He did not again reside in Oxford till the Michaelmas Term of 1884, but he kept in touch with the drawing-school by sending instructions and exercises through Mr. Macdonald. Meanwhile he was as busy as ever, or busier. In February he came up to London and delivered, with full vigour, two lectures on The Storm-Cloud. He also gave an informal address to some girl-students of the Royal Academy.4 He worked at the British Museum in arranging his Cabinet of Silicas there.5 A few weeks later he was called to London 4 Referred to in the letters below. A report of the address is given in Vol. XXXIV. 5 See Vol. XXVI. pp. 395 seq. again, in order to pay a visit of condolence to the Duchess of Albany, whose husband was buried on April 5. When at Brantwood he wrote the Introduction to Mr. Collingwood's Limestone Alps. He was full of schemes for work in which Miss Greenaway and he were to co-operate. He was in correspondence about a Life of Turner, for which he was to arrange materials, with M. Chesneau. He was bringing out the Roadside Songs, writing a catalogue for a collection of minerals at Kirkcudbright, throwing off an occasional number of Fors Clavigera, and doing many bye-things besides. Mr. Collingwood has printed extracts from letters received at Brantwood while Ruskin was in London in the early part of 1884, which give a lively account of his daily doings: "I want to know all about the bells, and what the children [at the school] are making of them: I bought the compass (seaman's on card), and another of needle, for the big school, yesterday; and another on card for the infants, and I want to know how the bricks get on. What a blessed time it takes to get anything done! "I had rather a day of it yesterday. Into National Gallery by half-past eleven-went all over it, noting things for lecture to the Academy girls on Saturday. Then a nice half-hour in a toy-shop, buying toys for the cabman's daughter [Miss Greenaway's little model]-kaleidoscope, magnetic fish, and skipping rope. Out to Holloway-sate for my portrait to K. G.2-cabman's daughter at four-had tea, muffins, magnetic fishing, skipping, and a game at marbles. Back across town to Sanger's Amphitheatre over Westminster Bridge. Saw pretty girl ride haute école, and beginning of pantomime, but pantomime too stupid; so I came away at half-past ten, walked a mile homewards in the moonlight-shower coming on took cab up the hill, and had pretty to boil eggs for my supper. "I really shall be rather sorry to leave town; but there's something to be said for the country, too. ... "Please find a catalogue of 108 or 110 minerals, written by me, of my case at the British Museum. You'll easily guess which it is among the MSS. in top drawer of study book-case, west side, farthest from fire. I want it here by Monday, for I'm going on Tuesday to have a long day at the case. They're going to exhibit the two diamonds and ruby on loan,3 the first time they've done so. XXXIII. 1 See Fors Clavigera, Letter 95, § 9 (Vol. XXIX. p. 500). 3 He ultimately presented them: see Vol. XXVI. p. lv. d |