In making the following selections, I have tried to avoid theappearance of such a volume as used to be entitled Elegant Extracts.Wherever practicable, entire chapters or lectures are given, or atleast passages of sufficient length to insure a correct notion of thegeneral complexion of Ruskin's work. The text is in all cases that ofthe first editions, unless these were later revised by Ruskin himself.The original spelling and punctuation are preserved, but a few minorchanges have been made for the sake of uniformity among the variousextracts. For similar reasons, Ruskin's numbering of paragraphs isdispensed with.
I have aimed not to multiply notes. Practically all Ruskin's ownannotation is given, with the exception of one or two very long andsomewhat irrelevant notes from Stones of Venice. It has not beendeemed necessary to give the dates of every painter or to explainevery geographical reference. On the other hand, the sources of mostof the quotations are indicated. In the preparation of these notes,the magnificent library edition of Messrs. Cook and Wedderburn hasinevitably been of considerable assistance; but all their referenceshave been verified, many errors have been corrected, and much has ofcourse been added.
In closing I wish to express my obligation to my former colleague, Dr.Lucius H. Holt, without whose assistance this volume would never haveappeared. He wrote a number of the notes, including the short prefacesto the various selections, and prepared the manuscript for theprinter.
C.B.T.
September, 1908.