Fors Clavigera (Volume 3 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great BritainRuskin, John
General
Fors Clavigera (Volume 3 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain
Ruskin, John
Aesthetics; Conduct of life; Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century; Social problems; Working class -- Great Britain
He stays, in his place, as Adriane in hers.
"Such an absurd old picture, or old story, you never saw or heard
of? The very blaze of fireworks, in which Jupiter descends, drawn
with black sparks instead of white! the whole point of the thing, the
'terrific combat,' missed out of the play! and nothing, on the whole,
seen, except people's legs, as in a modern pantomime, only not to so
much advantage."
That is what you think of it? Well, such as it is, that is 'fine art'
(if you will take my opinion in my own business); and even this
poor photograph of it is simply worth all the illustrations in your
'Illustrated News' or 'Illustrated Times' from one year's end to
another. Worth them all--nay, there is no comparison, for these
illustrated papers do you definite mischief, and the more you look
at them, the worse for you. Whereas, the longer you look at this,
and think of it, the more good you will get.
Examine, for instance, that absurdly tall crest of Theseus. Behind
it, if you look closely, you will see that he also has the wings of
hope on his helmet; but the upright plumes nearly hide them. Have
you never seen anything like them before? They are five here, indeed;
but you have surely met with them elsewhere,--in number, Three--those
curling, upright plumes?
For that Prince who waited on his father and the French Knights in
the castle of Calais, bears them in memory of the good knight and
king who fought sightless at Cressy; whose bearings they were, with
the motto which you know so well, yet are so little minded to take
for your own,--"I serve." Also the cap of the Knights of St. George
has these white plumes 'of three falls,' but the Prince of Wales more
fitly, because the meaning of the ostrich feather is order and rule;
for it was seen that, long and loose though the filaments seemed, no
wind could entangle or make them disorderly. "So this plume betokeneth
such an one as nothing can disturb his mind or disquiet his spirits,
but is ever one and the same." Do you see how one thing bears out
and fulfils another, in these thoughts and symbols of the despised
people of old time? Do you recollect Froissart's words of the New
Year's Feast at Calais?
"So they were served in peace, and in great leisure."
You have improved that state of things, at any rate. I must say
so much for you, at Wolverton, and Rugby, and such other places of
travellers' repose.
Theseus then, to finish with him for this time, bears these plumes
specially as the Institutor of Order and Law at Athens; the Prince
or beginner of the State there; and your own Prince of Wales bears
them in like manner as the beginner of State with us, (the mocking
and purposeful lawlessness, of Henry the Fifth when Prince, yet
never indeed violating law, or losing self-command, is one of the
notablest signs, rightly read, in the world's history). And now I
want you to consider with me very carefully the true meaning of the
words he begins his State with:--
"I serve."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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