is inevitably to form character.” Injoyed the learned leisure required for expressions such as these, scattered writing "Modern Painters." Mr. broadcast over all his writings, we Ruskin would agree so far with the found our argument that he is a prac- practical man reasoning thus. But he tical teacher, showing the real bearing would add, as he says in the "Crown on every-day life of every subject in of Wild Olive:"science, art, or economics, on which he expatiates. No nation ever made its bread either by its great arts, or its great wisdoms. By its minor arts and manufactures, by its practical knowledges, yes; but its noble scholarships, its noble philosophy, and its noble art, are always to be bought as a treasure, not sold for a livelihood. You do not learn that you may live-you live that you may learn. Thus in Mr. Ruskin's exposition of the relationship of art to use, morals, and religion, we have an epitome of his theoretical view of the true functions of art in human life, showing its serviceableness in the lower and higher aims of existence, as a means for the attainment of material competency, In this work, too, showing the value of moral culture, and a refined religious education and speaking on England's cultus, with due regard to the intimate future, he shows that as all education connection which subsists between begins in work, so "the only thing of taste and toil, ethics and æsthetics, culture and common sense. "The highest thing that art can do is to set before you the true image of the presence of a noble human being." And accord-tical view of education; one of its ingly he goes on to say in the second ends, its chief end in effect is practical lecture : "The great arts. . . have work, as thoroughness of workmanship had and can have, but three principal is that on which Mr. Ruskin constantly directions of purpose: first, that of insists in all his lessons on art, never enforcing the religion of man; sec- forgetting, however, the importance of ondly, that of perfecting their ethical" fostering and guarding of all gentle state; thirdly, that of doing them material service." consequence is what we do; and for man, woman, or child, the first point of education is to make them do their best." But this is an eminently prac life and natural beauty on the earth." In short, in his own mind there is no We may reverse this order, and violent sundering of those two, the dwell on the last of them first, so as to utile and the dulce. Speaking of their see what in Mr. Ruskin's opinion is art studies as part of the university the practical value of art studies and curriculum, he says, in his inaugural art productions. It will be remem- address to the students of the Cambered that he has given some hard bridge School of Art, "You must get hits to practical people, as when he it [i.e., art] to serve some serious says, in "Sesame and Lilies," that "a work." But nevertheless, it is the nation cannot with impunity go mission of art, too, to provide the on despising literature, despising sci- needful for our moments of leisure, ence, despising nature, despising com- and to add to the charm of cultured passion, and concentrating its soul on ease, "Art adds grace to utility." If pence." Here the typical man of prac-impractical people are apt to get into tical common sense is ready to rejoin: raptures over sun-flowers and old 'True, man does not live by bread china, and are in danger of a tranalone, but all the same he does not live scendental worship of the beautiful very long without it." If life simply which strikes the practical mind as becomes a graceful recreation, who will exquisite trifling, the practical man of do the hard work and collect the pence the nineteenth century is but too apt for purchasing pictures and other art to think that, as Carlyle says, treasures ? If Mr. Ruskin's father quote from memory the thought rather had not accumulated a fortune in the than the words, - there is no other wine trade, his son could not have en-heaven but success, and no other hell - we ence." 66 but failure, in the ordinary concerns | degree. It is not denied that such skill of life. In this practical Utopia the can be acquired, and that its acquisition profitable and the hideous are often tends to profit, and this is pre-eminently close neighbors, the dwellers in a fool's a practical consideration. paradise, which is only an earthly para- Passing on from the lower to the dise of their own creation, being as higher function of art, from the matemuch deceived by their illusions as are rial to the moral standpoint of Ruskin, the least practical of dreamers. If we as an art critic, we find him saying, can manage to remove the ugly neigh-"Life without industry is guilt, and bor without going to extremes, there is industry without art is brutality." But no reason why in some way Philistia the brutal man is immoral. Hence, it may not be turned into Arcadia. "To would follow that art is a moralizing get the country clean and the people force. In what way may it be regarded lovely" by improvements in dress and as a moral lever in a materialistic age? dwelling, might, in a very practical Mr. Ruskin, with other social reformers way, increase our present stock of of the day, speaks again and again of "mental health, power, and pleasure," the need of more integrity and simand thus add to the "joys of exist- plicity in modern life. He also points to simplicity and sincerity and truth to Again, if as a commercial commu- nature as the first requisites of true d nity, we pride ourselves on being mat- art, and recommends them both to ter-of-fact people, we are reminded by artists and art-students. But are simMr. Ruskin, in these art lectures, that plicity and sincerity the characteristics it is one of the functions of art to re- of an age which begins to take a deeper cord fact, as in the case of drawing interest in art, so that the latter rocks, plants, and wings of animals, becomes actually an important ethical thus assisting in a serviceable man- factor in the refining process of ner the study of geology, botany, society? Art has mostly flourished and zoology. Now, all these are prac- in the midst of a corrupt society, the tical, and may become even profitable product itself of a perishing civilizastudies. In the faithful reproduction, tion, reflecting in its later developmoreover, of the appearances of sky, ments a contemporaneous degeneracy of the phenomena of animal life, and in mind and morals. This is simply a the skilled portraiture of human fea- historical commonplace. Mr. Ruskin tures, art renders transitory impressions of fact more permanent and records otherwise easily neglected facts in an impressive manner. But, we ask, what can be more practical than facts ? replies after this manner: Tracing the rise, progress, and decline of high civilizations, he speaks of a period bearing a strong resemblance to the times we live in, when "conscience and intellect are so highly developed that new forms of error begin in the inability to fulfil the demands of the one, or to answer the doubts of "Then," he says, "the wholeness of the people is lost; all kinds of hypocrisies and oppositions of science develop themselves; their faith is questioned on one side and compromised with on the other; wealth commonly increases at the same period to a destructive extent; luxury follows the ruin of the nation is then certain." He shows how in such a case art becomes the exponent of each successive step in the downward course, not as Again, although it would be lowering our ideas of the functions of art simply to endeavor to develop art-skill with a view to profit, yet Mr. Ruskin even the other." shows that a well-trained nation may ultimately profit by the exercise of its peculiar art-skill, though he adds, that art-skill can never be developed "with a view to profit" successfully, though it may do so incidentally. For this reason he despairs of the English ever excelling in decorative design, because of the oppressive anxieties which cramp their mind as a commercial people. But this is only a question of the cause, but as the consequences of | true image of the presence of a noble such a state of things. "If in such human being." He insists on times fair pictures have been misused, how much more fair realities. And if Miranda is immoral to Caliban is that Miranda's fault?" "the ethical state of mind and body, the moral force which guides the hand, the mental energy which gives muscular firmness and subtilty to execution." So, in the "Seven Lamps of Architecture," he shows how "the truth, decision, and temperance, which we reverently regard as honorable conditions of the spiritual being, have a representative or derivative influence over the works of the hand, the movements of the frame, and the action of the intellect." Here, again, we are on debatable ground, the question arises, how far can good work proceed from bad men? Is it true as an axiom in the theory of art that the moral temper of the workman is shown by his seeking lovely forms of thought to express as well as by the force of his hand in expression? Thus to select an example from the art of poetry, is it possible that such a piece of work as the "Paradise Lost" could have been written by a Royalist contemporary of Milton, tainted though he might have been by the profligate surroundings of his class and party, as some of the best poems of Burns and Byron bear no trace of the feebleness of moral fibre in their Ours, it would seem, is an age in perilous proximity to this stage in the development of civilization. If this be so, then the most powerful preservation of society is the creation and maintenance of lofty standards and high ideals to save it from corruption, affecting alike the canons of art itself, and the regulating principles of the art of life in their mutual action and reaction. The sensuous realism in some forms of modern art is not so much a return to nature as a reflection of a practical materialism. The highest efforts of art, whether in poetry or painting, are a rebuke to, rather than a reflection of, the prevailing utilitarianism or hedonism in ethics and aesthetics. The art of any country is not always "the exponent of its social and political virtues," nor is it true, invariably, that "the art, or general productive and formative energy, of any country, is an exact exponent of its ethical life," as Mr. Ruskin affirms in his inaugural lecture. For in the masterpieces of Greek sculpture, of Gothic architec- composition? Burns and Byron were ture, and Renaissance paintings, we called the two "most poetical geniuses have the higher ideals of the best of the time" by Carlyle, and no one minds, the heroic efforts of a small will accuse Carlyle of obtuseness in remnant of high-souled artists living in moral perception. It is almost imposa realistic era, and struggling against sible at this time of day to decide depressing and degrading influences whether any one but Milton could have around them, who, if they could not written what is best in the "Paradise avert the coming catastrophe, secured Lost." But there can be no doubt that at least the survival of what was best the sincerity and natural sensibility in an age of decay. In this way art breathing through every line of Burns's may preserve the continuity of human lyrics remain unimpaired by the sordid development in holding up the inde- coarseness of the man and his surstructible standards of order and good-roundings, while the earnestness and ness in the world. This moral function energy which mark the masterpieces of of art, appealing to the imagination, stimulating noble passion, and illuminating the path of duty, as a light in a dark place, is one of the most important truths taught by Mr. Ruskin in his works, and exemplified in his private and public career, "the highest thing that art can do is to set before you the Byron's muse are as little weakened by the egotism of the "Sulky Dandy," or marred by the "sulphurous humor" of this "chief of the Satanic School." True, in not a few of Byron's poems we see reflected the incontrollable individualism of the man as well as the force and ferocity of his time. Uncon sciously, he reproduces the stirring ac- | aspect last, as presumably the most tivities of that era of material progress, important, even to practical people. and the rapid triumphs of the pushing Besides, it is not too much to assume middle class. But, consciously, he re- that in the natural evolution of man in bels against all this and the social the nineteenth century, he passes first hypocrisies and paltry pride resulting through the two stages of mammonism therefrom. Thus Byron, like Burns, aud ethical materialism before he becomes a compound of inspired clay. reaches the higher stage of religious What is best in both, i.e., the inspired spirituality. We know, as a matter of portion, the product of their best course, that it is quite possible for relithoughts, conceived in their best mo- gious idealism to co-exist with the worments this survives, the rest is des- ship of a splendid materiality," the tined to perish, unable to bear the historian of materialism lays this to crucial test of time, "when every the charge of the English people. man's work shall be made manifest." There is no doubt such a thing as the And so the truth of Mr. Ruskin's "Ethics of the Dust." We mean here dictum on the intimate connection be- what Mr. Ruskin does not mean by this tween art and morals remains firmly title of one of his books, we mean gold established. "If there be, indeed, sterling value in the thing done, it has come of a sterling worth in the soul that did it, however alloyed and defiled by conditions of sin, which are sometimes more appalling and more strange than those which all may detect in their own hearts, because they are part of a personality altogether larger than ours, and as far beyond our judgment in its darkness as beyond our following in its light.' dust. But no one in his heart believes We come next to speak of the rela-iary to religion. tion of art to religion, remembering The restlessness of our life at high what Butler says in his "Analogy pressure, wasting, as it does, our enerthat "Religion is a practical thing." gies in the pursuit of industry, and The object of art is not only to support marring, as it also does, our enjoyman in the battle of life and in the ments, snatched from endless occupaconflict with adverse forces in the uni- tions during short intervals of disturbed verse, which is the province of the leisure; this restlessness of which we useful arts of life, promoting technical hear complaints on every side, is not skill and ethics, promoting the habits without its effects on the religious life in moral conduct, but, also, as Mr. Rus- of the present day. It produces a spekin says again and again, with charac- cies of stirring and exciting religionism teristic insistence, "Art in its higher which Mr. Ruskin severely, but not revelations is intended to vitalize reli- inaptly, describes as "gas-lighted and gious faith and to supply aids for the gas-inspired Christianity." How far furthering of the higher life." This we may art become serviceable in counterhave reserved for treatment in the last acting these tendencies and, as the instance, not in the spirit of wayward handmaid of religion, help in adorning caprice, but with a purpose; not be- and beautifying her mistress? And cause in a practical age we assign the in order to this we may inquire with first and foremost place to the practical Mr. Ruskin, "how far in any of its value of art, but because this arrange- agencies it has advanced the cause of ment enables us to treat of the three the creeds it has been used to recomfunctions of art in the ascending order mend." He evidently considers the of importance, taking the religious functions of art to consist in producing feelings of reverence without supersti- | of a rude age, whilst in the encouragetion, aiding the exercise of practical ment of the lower forms of Mariolatry piety as the most beautiful form of god- the same pictures exercised a baneful liness. He shows how realistic art, in influence in retarding the progress of its lower forms, does not produce this religious culture. But in balancing the effect, addressing itself, as it does, to effects of art and religion thus much the vulgar desire for religious excite- may be taken for granted if we accept ment; and in all this he is pre-emi- Ruskin's well-balanced theory that, as nently practical. He shows how for a art has often been ennobled by reliloug time, e.g., the pictorial represen-gion, so by the alliance of art with retations of Christ's Passion "occupied ligion the ideal life of man has been the sensibility of Christian women, exalted and transfigured, and that in universally, in lamenting the sufferings the same way art may still prove a vital of Christ instead of preventing those of element in revealing or recalling noble his people." He ridicules the "gentle-truths to the religious mind, or become men of the embroidered robe," and the acknowledged interpreter of relireminds modern lovers of an aesthetic gious thought and feeling. Thus it ritual that "" the melodious chants and happens that the severe gloom of Egypprismatic brightness of vitreous pictures tian, compared with the sunny airiness. and floral graces of deep-wrought stone of Greek temples, that the massive 66 were not intended for their poor solemuity of Gothic architecture, compleasure, or to serve as means for at-pared with the ornate style of the later tracting 'fleshly minded persons,' ,"" but Renaissance, suggest at once the rethat the artistic love of these things spective phases of religious thought should not exclude practical work and feeling under varying conditions among human beings, and the practice as to time and place. Even the patchof common virtues in "useful and work of church restoration in the ninehumble trades." At the same time teenth century, as compared with the Ruskin admits that realistic art in its solid and original work of thirteenthhigher branches "touches the most century church architecture is in some sincere religious minds" in fixing, re- way symbolical of the contrast of relicalling, and symbolizing truths in a gious life past and present, symbolizclass of persons which cannot be ing, so to speak, the constructive and reached by merely poetic design. He re-constructive tendencies of two relipoints out that though religious sym-gious eras, and reflecting the wide difbolism has not unfrequently had a mischievous influence in enabling men and women to realize as true things untrue, as in the case of representing false deities in Greek art, yet that these very representations, as the ex- We may mention here, too, an apparpression of perfect human form, exer-ent inconsistency of Mr. Ruskin's in cised an ennobling effect on a naturally connection with this subject, the archiartistic people. From which it may be tecture and ornamentation of places deduced that Mr. Ruskin does not re-devoted to sacred purposes. In the gard the advance of art and religion as lectures on art there are some paraan unmixed good. This conclusion is graphs directed against localizing the strengthened by an allusion to another deity in temples made with hands phenomenon in the history of religious art, the exhibition of a maiden's purity and maternal self-renunciation in the paintings of the Madonna, symbolizing the feminine virtues of Christianity, and thus becoming the means of softening and refining the mauuers ference existing between the medieval and modern spirit, the one rearing, the other repairing the edifice of religious opinion in the ages of faith and doubt, respectively. before "we have striven with all our hearts first to sanctify the body and spirit of every child that has no roof to cover its head from the cold, and no walls to guard its soul from corruption, in this our land." On the other hand, in the " Lamp of Sacrifice," though |