Letters to the Clergy on the Lord's Prayer and the Church Part 16

21.

_October 13th._

I did not get your kind and interesting letter till yesterday, and can only write in utter haste this morning to say that I think nothing can possibly be more satisfactory (to me personally at least) and more honourable than what you tell me of the wish of the meeting to have the letters printed for their quiet consideration.[29]

[29] Canon Rawnsley kindly offered to print them at his own expense; only as many were printed as would be sufficient for three or four clerical societies. Had I known how valuable those little pamphlets were destined to become, I should have had many more printed!--ED.

They are entirely at your command and theirs--but don't sell the copyright to any publisher. Keep it in your own hands, and after expenses are paid of course any profits should go to the poor. Please write during this week to me at St. George's Museum, Walkley, Sheffield.

22.

_From_ CANON FARRAR.

_October 29th, 1879._

I am much obliged to you for your courtesy in sending me the letters. I am not, however, inclined to enter into any controversy, being painfully overwhelmed with the very duties which Mr. Ruskin seems to think that we don't do--looking after the material and religious interests of the sick, the suffering, the hungry, the drunken, and the extremely wretched.

Yours very truly, F. W. FARRAR.

23.

SHEFFIELD, _October 17th, 1879_.

DEAR MR. MALLESON,--I am sincerely interested and moved by your history of your laborious life--and shall be entirely glad to leave the completed volume as your property, provided always you sell it to no publisher--but take just percentage on the editions: and provided also that an edition be issued of the letters themselves in their present simple form of which the profits, if any, shall be for the poor of the district.[30] It would lower your position in the whole matter if it could be hinted that I had written the letters with any semi-purpose of serving my friend. On the other hand you will have just and honourable right to the profits of the completed edition which your labour and judgment will have made possible and guided into the most serviceable form.

[30] This, of course, with Mr. Allen's concurrence, is my intention.--ED.

I am thankful to see that the letters read clearly and easily, and contain all that it was in my mind to get said; that nothing can be possibly more right in every way than the printing and binding--nor more courteous and firm than your preface.

Yes--there _will_ be a chasm to cross--a tauriformis Aufidus[31]--greater than Rubicon, and the roar of it for many a year has been heard in the distance, through the gathering fog on earth more loudly.

[31] Sic tauriformis volvitur Aufidus, Qui regna Dauni praefluit Appuli Quum saevit, horrendamque cultis Diluviem meditatur agris.

--HOR. _Carm._ iv. 14.

The River of Spiritual Death in this world--and entrance to Purgatory in the other, come down to us.

When will the feet of the Priests be dipped in the still brim of the water? Jordan overflows his banks already.

When you have got your large edition with its correspondence into form, I should like to read the sheets as they are issued, and put merely letters of reference, _a_, _b_, and _c_, to be taken up in a short epilogue. But I don't want to do or say anything till you have all in perfect readiness for publication. I should merely add my reference letters in the margin, and the shortest possible notes at the end.

Please send me ten more of these private ones for my own friends.

Ever affectionately yours, J. RUSKIN.

24.

_Extract of a Letter from the late_

MISS SUSANNA BEEVER.

("The Younger Lady of the Thwaite, Coniston," to whom Mr. Ruskin dedicated "Frondes Agrestes.")

_October 28th, 1879._

DEAR MR. MALLESON,--My sister has asked me to write and thank you for two copies of Mr. Ruskin's Letters, which you have been so good as to send to her. It is curious that before the post came this morning I had been wondering whether I might ask you for a copy. * * * I have already read these deeply interesting Letters five times. They are like the "foam globes of leaven," I might say they have exercised my mind very much. Things in them which at first seemed rather startling, prove on closer examination to be full of deep truth. The suggestions in them lead to "great searchings of heart." There is much with which I entirely agree; much over which to ponder. What an insight into human nature is shown in the remark that though we are so ready to call ourselves "miserable sinners," we resent being accused of any special fault. * * *

25.

_November 7th, 1879._

I am so glad we understand each other now and that you will carry out your plan quietly.

I think you should correct the present little book by my revise, and print enough for whatever private circulation the members of the meeting wish, but that it should not be made public till well after the large book is out. For which I shall look with deepest interest.

26.

_November 19th, 1879._

MY DEAR MALLESON,--I have not been able to answer a word lately, being quite unusually busy in France--and you never remember that it takes _me_ as long to write a chapter as you to write a book, and tries me more to do it--so that I am sick of the feel of a pen this many a day.

I'm delighted to hear of your popularity,[32] being sure that all you advise people to do will be kind and right. I am not surprised at the popularity, but I wonder that you have not had some nasty envious reviews.[33]

[32] Meaning in the press notices of the Editor's "Life of Christ."--ED.