SURVIVAL OF RUSKIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

SURVIVAL OF RUSKIN.

.VIEWS ON SOCIAL PROGRESS. PoprjUWTY comes to a man for a host of reasons. He is talked about, becomes identified with certain insurgent ideas, or by sheer* brilliance swims comet-like through the sky. But recurrent fame depends less on accident. In "Modern Painters" Ruskin wrote: "It is not because the majority of the public are competent in any way to distinguish what is really excellent, but because all erroneous opinion is inconsistent, and all ungrounded opinion transitory." The truth, the central tendency and growth of good ideas, has in its flower the seed of*' immortality, Thus it goes on from one ; generation to . another. • • There wai a * time when the public revelled in-the'art criticism of Ruskin, and looked- with .surprise -upon the ■■: good-nat-ured ■ vagaftes! of his > writing ■on social affaired When Furnivall i suggested that, the noble chapter •on " The Art of Gothic" in* " Stones of Venice " should, be reprinted as a : separate ■ volume, William; Morris wrote a .preface for this new edition, which perhaps enshrines the supreme expression'of RuskinV genius. In thajk preface Morris, •fi»»4ii-s %

"Delightful as is that portion of Ruskin's work which describes, analyses, criticises art, old and new, yet this is not after all the most characteristic side of his writings." , Ruskirr himself, speaking of "Unto This Last," described it as the work which would stand surest and longest. The verdict of time has borne out this idea. Technical judgments on art hare changed. * People are less inclined to believe that the value of art is bound up with the morality of the artist Nor do they agree with the decadent counterblast to the effect that art has its own existence apart from life. The modern mind sees virtue in impressionism that to Ruskin was mere amateur impertinence. Indeed, the present-day art critic is too easily swept along bv new "movements." On the one hand, Rnskin's reputation ; is on trial (the verdict by no means decided), but on the social side.every day adds to his power. The once-ridiculed " crank " forestalled Nietzsche's views upon war (in "Crown of Wild Olives "\; his distrust of democracy (apart from education) is shared by all watchers of modern progress; his delight in handicraft and in folk dance and games, which were believed to be' harmless crazes 'of an eccentric old man, are shared by manv thousands. Firms have adopted his principles of housing and treatment of work-people'with success. To his generation they were. food for dismay or laughter. v '