WIST Quotations

Ruskin, John -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

There is hardly anything in the world that some man can’t make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
(Attributed)

Unsourced in any of Ruskin's works.

Ruskin, John -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:37:13 +0000

When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
(Attributed)

Ruskin, John -- Eagle’s Nest, Lecture 3, “Relation of Wise Art to Wise Science,” sec. 41 (15 Sep 1872)

Dave — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 23:03:43 +0000

There is nothing that I tell you with more eager desire that you should believe — nothing with wider ground in my experience for requiring you to believe, than this, that you never will love art well, till you love what she mirrors better.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Eagle’s Nest, Lecture 3, “Relation of Wise Art to Wise Science,” sec. 41 (15 Sep 1872)
(Source)

Ruskin, John -- Modern Painters (1843-1860), vol II, part iii, ch. 5 (1846)

Dave — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:33:16 +0000

The infinity of God is not mysterious, it is only unfathomable; not concealed, but incomprehensible; it is a clear infinity, the darkness of the pure unsearchable sea.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Modern Painters (1843-1860), vol II, part iii, ch. 5 (1846)

Ruskin, John -- Modern Painters, vol. IV, pt. V, ch. III, sec. 22 (1856)

Dave — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:27:13 +0000

In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Modern Painters, vol. IV, pt. V, ch. III, sec. 22 (1856)

Ruskin, John -- Sesame and Lilies, lecture I: “Of Kings’ Treasures,” sec. 3 (1864-1865)

Dave — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:33:22 +0000

The greatest efforts of the race have always been traceable to the love of praise, as its greatest catastrophes to the love of pleasure.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Sesame and Lilies, lecture I: “Of Kings’ Treasures,” sec. 3 (1864-1865)

Ruskin, John -- St. Mark’s Rest: The History of Venice, Preface (1885)

Dave — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:39:17 +0000

Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts, the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three the only trustworthy one is the last.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
St. Mark’s Rest: The History of Venice, Preface (1885)

Ruskin, John -- The Crown of the Wild Olive, “Work” (1866)

Dave — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:14 +0000

Do justice to your brother (you can do that, whether you love him or not), and you will come to love him. But do injustice to him because you don’t love him, and you will come to hate him.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Crown of the Wild Olive, “Work” (1866)

Ruskin, John -- The Crown of Wild Olive, lecture IV “The Future of England,” sec. 151 (1866)

Dave — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:39:39 +0000

What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Crown of Wild Olive, lecture IV “The Future of England,” sec. 151 (1866)

Ruskin, John -- The Eagle’s Nest, Lecture 5 “The Power of Contentment in Science and Art,” Sec. 82 (22 Feb 1872)

Dave — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 02:55:11 +0000

What do you suppose makes all men look back to the time of childhood with so much regret (if their childhood has been, in any moderate degree, healthy or peaceful)? That rich charm, which the least possession had for us, was in consequence of the poorness of our treasures. That miraculous aspect of the nature around us, was because we had seen little, and knew less. Each increased possession loads us with a new weariness; every piece of new knowledge diminishes the faculty of admiration; and Death is at last appointed to take us from a scene in which, if we were to stay longer, no gift could satisfy us, and no miracle surprise.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Eagle’s Nest, Lecture 5 “The Power of Contentment in Science and Art,” Sec. 82 (22 Feb 1872)
(Source)

Ruskin, John -- The Ethics of the Dust, Lecture 5 (1875)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Do not think of your faults, still less of others’ faults; look for what is good and strong, and try to imitate it. Your faults will drop off, like dead leaves, when their time comes.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Ethics of the Dust, Lecture 5 (1875)

Full text.

Ruskin, John -- The Seven Lamps of Architecture, “The Lamp of Memory,” ch. 6, sec. 9 (1907)

Dave — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:47:29 +0000

God has lent us the earth for our life; it is a great entail. It belongs as much to those who are to come after us, and whose names are already written in the book of creation, as to us; and we have no right, by anything that we do or neglect, to involve them in unnecessary penalties, or deprive them of benefits which it was in our power to bequeath.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Seven Lamps of Architecture, “The Lamp of Memory,” ch. 6, sec. 9 (1907)

Ruskin, John -- The Seven Lamps of Architecture, ch. 6 “The Lamp of Memory” (1849)

Dave — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:08:29 +0000

Whatever we build, let us think we build for ever.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Seven Lamps of Architecture, ch. 6 “The Lamp of Memory” (1849)

Ruskin, John -- The Stones of Venice, ch. 2 “The Virtues of Architecture,” sec. 17 (1851)

Dave — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:41:50 +0000

Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless; peacocks and lilies for instance; at least I suppose this quill I hold in my hand writes better than a peacock’s would, and the peasants of Vevay, whose fields in spring time are as white with lilies as the Dent du Midi is with its snow, told me the hay was none the better for them.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Stones of Venice, ch. 2 “The Virtues of Architecture,” sec. 17 (1851)
(Source)

Ruskin, John -- The Stones of Venice, vol. II, ch. 6, sec. 62 (1853)

Dave — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:27:34 +0000

The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because the very becoming a Purist is commonly indicative of some slight degree of weakness, readiness to be offended, or narrowness of understanding of the ends of things.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Stones of Venice, vol. II, ch. 6, sec. 62 (1853)

Ruskin, John -- The Two Paths, Lecture 5 (1859)

Dave — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:11:17 +0000

You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Two Paths, Lecture 5 (1859)

Ruskin, John -- Time and Tide, Letter VIII (1867)

Dave — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:26:17 +0000

Your honesty is not to be based either on religion or policy. Both your religion and policy must be based on it. Your honesty must be based, as the sun is, in vacant heaven; poised, as the lights in the firmament, which have rule over the day and over the night.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Time and Tide, Letter VIII (1867)

Ruskin, John -- Unto This Last Essay III: “Qui Judicatis Terram,” sec. 54 (1860)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Whereas it has long been known and declared that the poor have no right to the property of the rich, I wish it also to be known and declared that the rich have no right to the property of the poor.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Unto This Last Essay III: “Qui Judicatis Terram,” sec. 54 (1860)

Ruskin, John -- Unto This Last, ch. 2 (1860)

Dave — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:05:31 +0000

What is really desired, under the name of riches, is, essentially, power over men; in its simplest sense, the power of obtaining for our own advantage the labor of servant, tradesman, and artist; in wider sense, authority of directing large masses of the nation to various ends (good, trivial, or hurtful, according to the mind of the rich person).

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Unto This Last, ch. 2 (1860)

Ruskin, John -- Unto This Last, ch. 3 (1800)

Dave — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 01:17:19 +0000

[The] “robbing of the poor because he is poor,” is especially the mercantile form of theft, consisting in taking advantage of a man’s necessities in order to obtain his labor or property at a reduced price. The ordinary highwayman’s opposite form of robbery — of the rich, because he is rich — does not appear to occur so often to the old merchant’s mind; probably because, being less profitable and more dangerous than the robbery of the poor, it is rarely practice by persons of discretion.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Unto This Last, ch. 3 (1800)

Ruskin, John -- Unto This Last, Essay 4 “Ad Valorem” (1860)

Dave — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:46:50 +0000

We need examples of people who, leaving Heaven to decide whether they are to rise in the world, decide for themselves that they will be happy in it, and have resolved to seek — not greater wealth, but simpler pleasure; not higher fortune, but deeper felicity; making the first of possessions, self-possession; and honouring themselves in the harmless pride and calm pursuits of peace.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
Unto This Last, Essay 4 “Ad Valorem” (1860)
(Source)