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On Verona Book p.61 Ruskin begins a draft essay on Baptism inspired by his reading of the Gorham Judgment (9 March 1850) published in an English language paper Galignani which he read on 31 March 1850 at Avignon on the return journey from Venice. He wrote in the M2 notebook:
I read to-day part of an acrimonious and of what I fear will become an indecent controversy between the Archp. of Canterbury and the Bp. of Exeter, respecting Infant Regeneration by Baptism. I am induced to set down what seems to me to be principles of right judgment in this case which a man of candour belonging by Education to neither party could hardly fail to acknowledge. Notebook M2 p.140
Part draft essay presumably begins at Verona Book p.61 and continues with gaps on Verona Book p.62, 63L and 63, 64, 65L and 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73L and 73, 74, 75, 76L and 76, 77L and 77, 78L and 78.
The second draft appears in M2 beginning at Notebook M2 p.140 and continuing with gaps on Notebook M2 pp.141L and 141, 142, 143L and 143, 144, 145L and 145, 146L and 146, 147, 148L and 148, 149, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158L and 158, 159, 160L and 160, 175L and 175.
Ruskin subsequently polished the notes into his Essay on Baptism printed at Works, 12.573-89 but not published in his lifetime. According to E. T. Cook in his introduction to Works, volume 12, Ruskin:
took considerable pains with it, [as] is shown by various notes and fragmentary drafts [ . . .] The essay itself is undated, but a water-mark on the paper of one piece of rough copy fixes the date as not earlier than 1850. (Works, 12.lxxvi)
For a thorough examination of Ruskin’s views on baptism and the Gorham Judgment see Wheeler (2006) p.201. The approach taken by Ruskin is to base his ‘argument on the authority of scripture rather than that of the Church and upon an understanding of Christianity as a faith to be embraced and lived out ‘To-day’, in the world, rather than disputed upon by opposing religious parties’
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[Version 0.05: May 2008]