Opening the text

Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great BritainRuskin, John

General

Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain

Name: Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain
Author: Ruskin, John

Ruskin, John

Aesthetics; Conduct of life; Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century; Social problems; Working class -- Great Britain

What can this mean? Does it point to something still more brutal than
the ‘carnivorous teeth’ theory? [67]

Submitted, with much respect, to Mr. Ruskin, for the Notes and
Correspondence in ‘Fors’—if deemed admissible.

    J. M.                                          4th September, 1875.


A peculiarly sad instance of death from lead-poisoning was investigated
this week before Dr. Hardwicke, at an inquest held in London. The
deceased, Mary Ann Wilson, only three weeks ago went to work at a
white-lead factory. After being there two or three days she felt the
effects of lead-poisoning, which turned her lips blue. Subsequently the
neighbours found her lying on the floor in convulsions, and in a dying
state; and the next day she died from congestion of the brain, and
disease of the chest organs, consequent on the evil effects of her
employment. The coroner recommended that persons who follow this
employment should drink diluted sulphuric acid, to counteract the
action of the poison.—Birmingham Daily Post, Sept. 2, 1875.








FORS CLAVIGERA.

LETTER LIX.


                                         Herne Hill, 3rd October, 1875.

The day before yesterday I went with a young English girl to see her
nurse; who was sick of a lingering illness during which, with kindliest
intent, and sufficient success, (as she told me,) in pleasing her,
books had been chosen for her from the circulating library, by those of
her pious friends whose age and experience qualified them for such
task.

One of these volumes chancing to lie on the table near me, I looked
into it, and found it to be ‘Stepping Heavenward;’—as far as I could
make out, a somewhat long, but not unintelligent, sermon on the text of
Wordsworth’s ‘Stepping Westward.’ In the five minutes during which I
strayed between the leaves of it, and left the talk of my friend with
her nurse to its own liberty, I found that the first chapters described
the conversion of an idle and careless young lady of sixteen to a
solemn view of her duties in life, which she thus expresses at the end
of an advanced chapter: “I am resolved never to read worldly books any
more; and my music and drawing I have laid aside for ever.” [68]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great BritainRuskin, John

General

Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 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

What can this mean? Does it point to something still more brutal than
the ‘carnivorous teeth’ theory? [67]

Submitted, with much respect, to Mr. Ruskin, for the Notes and
Correspondence in ‘Fors’—if deemed admissible.

    J. M.                                          4th September, 1875.


A peculiarly sad instance of death from lead-poisoning was investigated
this week before Dr. Hardwicke, at an inquest held in London. The
deceased, Mary Ann Wilson, only three weeks ago went to work at a
white-lead factory. After being there two or three days she felt the
effects of lead-poisoning, which turned her lips blue. Subsequently the
neighbours found her lying on the floor in convulsions, and in a dying
state; and the next day she died from congestion of the brain, and
disease of the chest organs, consequent on the evil effects of her
employment. The coroner recommended that persons who follow this
employment should drink diluted sulphuric acid, to counteract the
action of the poison.—Birmingham Daily Post, Sept. 2, 1875.








FORS CLAVIGERA.

LETTER LIX.


                                         Herne Hill, 3rd October, 1875.

The day before yesterday I went with a young English girl to see her
nurse; who was sick of a lingering illness during which, with kindliest
intent, and sufficient success, (as she told me,) in pleasing her,
books had been chosen for her from the circulating library, by those of
her pious friends whose age and experience qualified them for such
task.

One of these volumes chancing to lie on the table near me, I looked
into it, and found it to be ‘Stepping Heavenward;’—as far as I could
make out, a somewhat long, but not unintelligent, sermon on the text of
Wordsworth’s ‘Stepping Westward.’ In the five minutes during which I
strayed between the leaves of it, and left the talk of my friend with
her nurse to its own liberty, I found that the first chapters described
the conversion of an idle and careless young lady of sixteen to a
solemn view of her duties in life, which she thus expresses at the end
of an advanced chapter: “I am resolved never to read worldly books any
more; and my music and drawing I have laid aside for ever.” [68]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain

Fors Clavigera (Volume 5 of 8): Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain

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