Letters to the Clergy on the Lord's Prayer and the Church Part 17

[33] Seventeen _very good_, five _good_, five _fair_, six _bad_, two _nasty, envious_!--ED.

I like the impudence of these Scotch brats.[34] Do they suppose it would have been either pleasure or honour to me to come and lecture there? It is perhaps as much their luck as mine that they changed their minds about it. I shall be down at Brantwood soon (_D.V._). Poor Mr. Sly's[35]

death is a much more troublous thing to me than Glasgow Elections.

[34] Glasgow University.

[35] Of the Waterhead, Coniston.

27.

_January 5th, 1880._

A Happy New Year to you. If I may judge or guess by the efforts made to draw me into the business, it is likely to be a busy one for you! Will you kindly now send me back my old book on Usury? I've got a letter (which for his lords.h.i.+p's sake had better never been written) from the Bishop of Manchester, and may want to quote a word or two of my back letter. I send the letter with my reply this month to the _Contemporary_.

28.

_January 7th, 1880._

So many thanks for your kind little note and the book which I have received quite safely; and many more thanks for taking all the enemies'

fire off me and leaving me quiet. I've been all this morning at work on finches and buntings; but I must give the Bishop a turn to-morrow. This weather takes my little wits out of me wofully; but I am always affectionately yours,

J. R.

29.

_May 10th, 1880._

MY DEAR MALLESON,--Yes, the omission of the 'Mr.' meant much change in all my feelings towards you and estimates of you--for which change, believe me, I am more glad and thankful than I can well tell you. Not but that of course I always felt your essential goodness and rightness of mind, but I did not at all understand the scope of them.

And you will have the reward of the Visitation of the Sick, though every day I am more sure of the mistake made by good people universally--in trying to pull fallen people up--instead of keeping yet safe ones from tumbling after them, and always spending their pains on the worst instead of the best material. If they want to be able to save the lost like Christ, let them first be sure they can say with Him, "Of those Thou gavest Me I have lost none."

Ever affectionately yours, J. RUSKIN.

The 'Epilogue's' an awful bother to me in this May time! I have not done a word yet, but you shall have it before the week is out.

30.

_April 17._

The letters seem all very nice--I shall have very little to say about them, except to explain what you observe and have been misunderstood.... Of course my notes shall be sent to you and added to when you see need. But I cannot do it quickly.

31.

_April 14, 1880._

Thanks for nice new proofs. I haven't found any false references, but I didn't look. I'll have all verified by my secretary. I'm busy with an article on modern novels and don't feel a bit pious just now; so the responses have hung fire.

32.

_May 9._

You are really very good about this, and shall have the notes (_D.V._) within a fortnight. The Scott could not be put off, being promised for June 19, _Nineteenth Century_, and I could not do novels and sermons together. I don't think the notes will be long. The letters seem to be mostly compliments or small objections not worth noticing.

33.

_May 14th, 1880._

I've just done--yesterday with Scott, and took up the letters for the first time this morning seriously.

I had never seen _yours_ at all when I wrote last. I fell first on Mr.

----, whom I read with some attention, and commented on with little favour; went on to the next, and remained content with that taste till I had done my Scott.

I have this morning been reading your own, on which I very earnestly congratulate you. G.o.d knows it isn't because they are friendly or complimentary, but because you _do_ see what I mean, and people hardly ever do--and I think it needs very considerable power and feeling to forgive and understand as you do. You have said everything _I_ want to say, and much more--except on the one point of excommunication, which will be the chief, almost the only subject of my final note.

I write in haste to excuse myself for my former note.

Ever affectionately and gratefully yours, J. RUSKIN.

(NOTE.--A legal friend remarks that in his opinion I should refrain from printing _extracts_ from letters, and always print the whole; or, indeed, in the present case, the whole series of letters, lest it should be suspected that I am making a self-indulgent selection only of the good words which Mr. Ruskin is kind enough to use in his communications with me. Let me here say, however, that had there been in all these letters any which conveyed censure, stricture, or blame of any kind, I should not have withheld my hand from including them. But no such letters ever came to me. Mr. Ruskin is the very pink of courtesy with his friends, and he _may_ have suppressed remarks which he thought might wound me. But I am reproducing here not my friend's secret thoughts, but only those of his letters which remain in my possession.--EDITOR.)