III - “THE ART OF ENGLAND” (1883)

Summary

[Bibliographical Note.—The Lectures, ultimately published under the title The Art of England, were given by Ruskin at Oxford on his re-election (January 1883) to the Slade Professorship of Fine Art.

Lecture I. (announced in the Oxford University Gazette, March 6, 1883, as on “Recent English Art”) was delivered on Friday, March 9. It was reported in the St. James's Budget, March 16, 1883 (“Mr. Ruskin's Latest”), and this report was reprinted in Igdrasil, March 1892, vol. iii. pp. 267–268, and thence in the privately-issued Ruskiniana, Part ii., 1892, pp. 240–241. A note from the report is now added under the text (p. 286).

“There was a scene of great enthusiasm when Mr. Ruskin appeared to deliver his first lecture on his re-election. Although there was a fair sprinkling of ladies, young and old, the majority of the audience was made up of undergraduates; and as they had begun to assemble an hour and a half beforehand, some of the principal persons in the University were unable to obtain admission. The Vice-Chancellor, who attended with the proctors, rose at the end of the lecture to say a few words of welcome, and his graceful remarks were received with a storm of applause” (Truth, March 15, 1883).

Lectures II., III., IV. were delivered in the ensuing term, each being given twice. They were first announced in the University Gazette (April 13) as on “Recent English Art (continued).”