xl INTRODUCTION

evidence of shaping and directing ones. We want the force and truth of individual thought without the importunity of individual fancy, or the infirmities of individual humour-something which should witness, as every great work does, that its author, from the beginning, had scanned and taken the measure of all his ground-had in the germ descried the whole chain and order of the developed result-had kept, from the first, in firm and steady adjustment, the parts of that whole which was ever present to his mind; and, as it gradually unfolded itself, had never lost hold of the key which regulated its progress-sacrificing what pleased at the moment to what would satisfy hereafter-throwing aside what hung loose and discursive on the main theme, however urgent and keen the present feeling-judging though not coldly, yet seriously-yielding to the enthusiasm of admiration, but jealously guarding his disapprobation from the weak phrases of offended fastidiousness or dislike.”

On the whole the contemporary reviews of The Seven Lamps of Architecture are creditable to the critical fairness and insight of the day; they anticipated what seems likely to be the verdict of posterity. The book, predicted one of the critics, will establish for itself “a place among the standard works of English Literature.”¹ Nor was it only with the critics of the press that Ruskin’s volume made a hit. A year or two later, he was invited to the Master’s Lodge at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his architectural studies secured him interesting talks with the great archæological authorities of the day-Whewell himself and Professor Willis. Letters to his father show with what consideration he was treated:-

TRINITY LODGE, Sunday evening [April 6, 1851].

I could not write to you last night. We got here at twenty minutes past five, and there was a large dinner-party at ¼ past six. It is a beautiful house,-far superior to our Dean’s at Christ Church, back rooms with oriel windows deep embayed, plenty of light, and fine dark furniture, carved wood, etc., all very beautiful. ... Large dinner: heads of colleges, etc., and Professor Willis, with whom I fore-gathered, of course, and enjoyed myself.

Monday [April 7, 1851].

...Dr. and Mrs. Whewell are most kind, and delightfully easy to live with-he is marvellously different from our formalist Oxford heads. Everybody fêtes us here exceedingly, and I have had some nice chats with Professor Willis; but I am quite resting-taking no notes and getting as much relaxation as possible. ... To-morrow we go to Ely, with Dr. Whewell and Professor Willis.

¹ Dublin University Magazine (July 1849, vol. xxxiv. pp. 1-14).

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