Essays on political economy : being a sequel to papers which appeared in the 'Cornhill Magazine' / by John Ruskin.

  • John Ruskin
Date:
1862[-1863]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essays on political economy : being a sequel to papers which appeared in the 'Cornhill Magazine' / by John Ruskin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    1863.] do a little volunteer ploughing and counterploughing ? It is more diffi- cult to do it straight: the dust of the earth, so disturbed, is more grateful than for merely rhythmic footsteps. Golden ciaps, also, given for good ploughing, would be more suitable in colour: (ruby glass, for the wine which ‘ giveth his colour ’ on the ground, as well as in the cup, might be fitter for the rifle prize in laches’ hands); or, conceive a little volunteer exercise with the spade, other than such as is needed for moat and breastwork, or even for the burial of the fruit of the leaden avena-seed, subject to the shrill Lemures’ criticism— Wer hat das Haas so schlecht gebaut? If you were to embank Lincolnshire now—more stoutly against the sea? or strip the peat of Solway, or plant Plinlimmon moors with larch—then, in due hour of year, some amateur reaping and threshing ? ‘ Nay, we reap and thresh by steam, in these advanced days.’ I know it, my wise and economical friends. The stout arms God gave you to win your bread by, you would fain shoot your neighbours,—and God’s sweet singers with ;* then you invoke the fiends to your farm-ser- vice; and— When young and old come forth to play On a sulphurous holiday, Tell how the darkling goblin sweat (His feast of cinders duly set), And,belching night,where breathed the morn, His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn That tea day-labourers could not end. But we will press the example closer. On a green knoll alxwe that plain of tho Arve, between Cluse and Bonneville, there was, in the year i860, a cottage, inhabited by a well-doing family—man and wife, three children, and the grand- mother. I call it a cottage, but in truth, it was a large cliimney on the ground, wide at the bottom, (so that the family might live round the fire), with one broken window in it, and an unclosing door. The family, I say, was f well-doing,’ at least, it was hopeful and cheerful; the wife healthy, the children, for Savoyards, pretty and active, but the husband threatened with decline, from ex- posure under the cliffs of the Mont Vergi by day, and to draughts be- tween every plank of his chimney in the frosty nights. ‘ Why could he not plaster the chinks?’ asks the practical reader. For the same reason that your child cannot wash its face and hands till you have washed them many a day for it, and will not wash them when it can, till you force it. I passed this cottage often in my Avalks, had its window and door mended, sometimes mended also a little the meal of sour bread and broth, and generally got kind greeting and smile from the face of young or old; which greeting, this year, nar- rowed itself into the half-recognizing stare of the elder child, and the old woman’s tears; for the father and mother were both dead, — one of sickness, the other of sorrow. It happened that I passed not alone, but with a companion, a practised English joiner, who, while these * Compare Chaucer's feeling respecting birds (from Canace’s falcon, to the nightingale, singing ‘Domine, labia— to the Lord of Love) with the usual modem British sentiments on this subject. Or even Cowley’s:— ‘ What prince’s choir of music can excel That which within this shade does dwell, To which we nothing pay, or give, They, like all other poets, live Without reward, or thanks for their obliging pains ! ’Tis well if they become not prey.’ If es ; it is better than well; particularly since the seed sown by the wayside has been protected by the peculiar appropriation of part of the church-rates in our country parishes. See the remonstrance from a * Country l’arson,’ in the Times of June 4th (or 5th ; the letter is dated June 3r(l)> 1862:—‘ ] have heard at a vestry meeting a good deal of higgling over a few shillings’ outlay in cleaning the church ; but I have never heal’d any dissatisfaction expressed on account of that part of the rate which is invested in 50 or 100 dozens of birds’ heads.’