Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- INTRODUCTION TO THIS VOLUME
- BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
- “FORS CLAVIGERA”: VOLUME VII. (1877): LETTERS 73–84
- “FORS CLAVIGERA”: VOLUME VIII. (1878–1884): LETTERS 85–96
- SYNOPSIS OF LETTERS 85–96
- LETTER 85 UNIQUE DOGMATISM (January, 1878)
- LETTER 86 LET US (ALL) EAT AND DRINK (February, 1878)
- LETTER 87 THE SNOW-MANGER (March, 1878)
- LETTER 88 THE CONVENTS OF ST. QUENTIN (March, 1880)
- LETTER 89 WHOSE FAULT IS IT? TO THE TRADES UNIONS OF ENGLAND (September, 1880)
- LETTER 90 LOST JEWELS (May, 1883)
- LETTER 91 DUST OF GOLD (September, 1883)
- LETTER 92 ASHESTIEL (November, 1883)
- LETTER 93 INVOCATION (Christmas, 1883)
- LETTER 94 RETROSPECT (March, 1884)
- LETTER 95 FORS INFANTIÆ (October, 1884)
- LETTER 96 (TERMINAL). ROSY VALE (Christmas, 1884)
- APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL PASSAGES FROM THE MANUSCRIPT OF, AND LETTERS RELATING TO, “FORS CLAVIGERA”
- INDEX
- Plate section
LETTER 87 - THE SNOW-MANGER (March, 1878)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- INTRODUCTION TO THIS VOLUME
- BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
- “FORS CLAVIGERA”: VOLUME VII. (1877): LETTERS 73–84
- “FORS CLAVIGERA”: VOLUME VIII. (1878–1884): LETTERS 85–96
- SYNOPSIS OF LETTERS 85–96
- LETTER 85 UNIQUE DOGMATISM (January, 1878)
- LETTER 86 LET US (ALL) EAT AND DRINK (February, 1878)
- LETTER 87 THE SNOW-MANGER (March, 1878)
- LETTER 88 THE CONVENTS OF ST. QUENTIN (March, 1880)
- LETTER 89 WHOSE FAULT IS IT? TO THE TRADES UNIONS OF ENGLAND (September, 1880)
- LETTER 90 LOST JEWELS (May, 1883)
- LETTER 91 DUST OF GOLD (September, 1883)
- LETTER 92 ASHESTIEL (November, 1883)
- LETTER 93 INVOCATION (Christmas, 1883)
- LETTER 94 RETROSPECT (March, 1884)
- LETTER 95 FORS INFANTIÆ (October, 1884)
- LETTER 96 (TERMINAL). ROSY VALE (Christmas, 1884)
- APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL PASSAGES FROM THE MANUSCRIPT OF, AND LETTERS RELATING TO, “FORS CLAVIGERA”
- INDEX
- Plate section
Summary
1. By my promise that, in the text of this series of Fors, there shall be “no syllable of complaint, or of scorn,” I pray the reader to understand that I in no wise intimate any change of feeling on my own part. I never felt more difficulty in my life than I do, at this instant, in not lamenting certain things with more than common lament, and in not speaking of certain people with more than common scorn.
Nor is it possible to fulfil the rightly warning functions of Fors without implying some measure of scorn. For instance, in the matter of choice of books, it is impossible to warn my scholars against a book, without implying a certain kind of contempt for it. For I never would warn them against any writer whom I had complete respect for,—however adverse to me, or my work. There are few stronger adversaries to St. George than Voltaire. But my scholars are welcome to read as much of Voltaire as they like. His voice is mighty among the ages. Whereas they are entirely forbidden Miss Martineau,—not because she is an infidel, but because she is a vulgar and foolish one.
2. Do not say, or think, I am breaking my word in asserting, once for all, with reference to example, this necessary principle. This very vow and law that I have set myself, must be honoured sometimes in the breach of it, so only that the transgression be visibly not wanton or incontinent.
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- Information
- The Works of John Ruskin , pp. 361 - 380Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010