Despite his ultimate insignificance as a poet, with his reputation declining rapidly after his death, Rogers assumed a pivotal role in the future course of Ruskin 's life when, as a child, Ruskin was presented a copy of Rogers's Italy, illustrated by Turner. As Ruskin observed
This book was the first means I had of looking carefully at Turner's work; and I might not without some appearance of reason, attribute to the gift the entire direction of my life's energies. ( Works, 35.29)
(See Ruskin's lifelong admiration of the Rogers illustrations.)
Ruskin admitted that before accepting this 'unlucky gift,' his childhood ambition had been to become President of the Geological Society ( Works, 26.97). Italy, from the first, was primarily important for the Turner vignettes it featured, and not for the sake of the poetry it contained, as Rogers learned to his chagrin on his first meeting Ruskin ( Works, 34.96).
But Rogers was sufficiently impressed by Ruskin 's first volume of Modern Painters to keep a copy of it on his library table, where it attracted the notice of Tennyson, who wanted to borrow it from him ( Works, 3.xxxvii-viii). Rogers occasionally invited Ruskin to his breakfast parties and a correspondence was initiated between them ( Works, 35.93). Rogers also offered Ruskin a presentation, autographed copy of Italy ( Works, 38.122).
Ruskin 's impression of Rogers, however, was far from favourable, viewing him as an epicure ( Works, 4.xxvii-viii). As a poet, Rogers impressed Ruskin as an inordinately envious dilettante ( Works, 36.141). Of his works, Ruskin believed that only Italy was worthy of notice ( Works, 21.213-14).