JOHN RUSKIN, LL.D.,

HONORARY STUDENT OF CHRIST CHURCH, AND HONORARY FELLOW
OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD; ETC., ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS DRAWN BY THE AUTHOR,
AND AN INTRODUCTION BY CHAS. ELIOT NORTON.

BRANTWOOD EDITION.

CHARLES E. MERRILL & CO., NEW YORK.
GEORGE ALLEN, LONDON AND ORPINGTON.

FA 1567.2.4

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY

GIFT OF

PROF. KENNETH B MURDOCK
JOV 15 1934

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

MR. GEORGE ALLEN begs to announce that Ruskin's Works will hereafter be published in America by Messrs. Charles E. MERRILL & Co., of New York, who will issue the only authorised editions.

NOV 2 2 1991

FAIFA

Copyright 1890.
CHARLES E. MERRILL & Co.

INTRODUCTION.

T is now more than forty-five years ago

IT

that the first of Mr. Ruskin's books-the first volume of "Modern Painters "—was reprinted in this country. During this long period most of his works have been republished here, and have laid countless readers under immeasurable obligations to their writer. For some years past different publishers have issued rival editions of many of them. Of living English prose authors, with the exception of some of the popular novelists, he has probably had the most readers in America.

But all these reprints, with possibly one or two exceptions, have been issued without Mr. Ruskin's authority, and he has derived no profit from their sale. Moreover, a grave

injustice has been done him by the neglect to reproduce the books in a proper form. The original English editions are beautiful in typography, and many of their illustrations are among the most exquisite examples of the modern art of engraving. Most of the American reprints have been ugly volumes, and their ugliness has been enhanced by cheap and inferior copies of the original illustrations.

At length an edition of Mr. Ruskin's principal works, of which this is the first volume in order of publication, is to be issued, in a style approved by him, and from the sale of which he is to derive profit. It is a tardy attempt to deal honestly by one to whom just and honourable treatment has been so long denied, and to whom so large a debt, alike moral and material, is due.

The services which Mr. Ruskin has rendered to his generation are many and various. They are the services of a man of genius, inspired