DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18975#0032
XXVI
INTRODUCTION
and in the reduction of the elements of perspective to a series of
propositions in Euclid's manner he found congenial recreation.
He was satisfied with his work, and in his Inaugural lectures at Oxford
eleven years later, he referred his pupils to the treatise, as carrying the
mathematics of perspective as far as is necessary d The book was, how-
ever, disfigured, and its utility somewhat lessened, by several mistakes
and omissions both in the diagrams and in the references to them.
Perhaps W. H. Harrison was here out of his depth, or was unable to
render his usual assistance in reading the proofs. Attention was called
in reviews of the time to the existence of serious mistakes in the text,^
but as a second edition was not called for, they passed uncorrected
(being slavishly reproduced, by the way, in the unauthorised American
reprint). Ruskin, however, went through the book at some later date,
and marked numerous corrections in his own copy. This copy has been
at the editors'' disposal, as well as the original MS. of the book, and
Ruskin's corrections have been made—the diagrams being altered where
necessary. In this edition, therefore, TAc erf appears
for the first time in a correct form.
III
TA<? q/" ZhYnemg" was atlowed, as we have seen already,
to remain for many years out of print. The last issue in the original
form was made in 1861; and it was not thus reprinted till 1892. At
the earlier date Ruskin's attention had become diverted from artistic
matters and was largely absorbed in economic and social problems.
The book was still often asked for, but the author, as was frequently
the case, had become dissatisfied in some measure with his work. In
particular, he had come to attach much greater importance to out-
line as the foundation of art-discipline than was allowed to it in
his teaching at the Working Men's College or in TAg o/*
ZbvMemgA When he began once more to concentrate his energies
on art-teaching, he desired to rewrite TAe but could not
find the timed He accordingly allowed his friend Mr. St. John
Tyrwhitt to use the woodcuts and incorporate so much of the text
as he pleased in the manual entitled CJM&. It was in
* See again on § 142. See also the reference to the book in
Pamper#, vol. v. pt. vii. ch. ii. § 11.
2 For instance, in the January 28, 1860.
3 See Fbry (7Jau:'^era, Letter 59 ; and compare the note added, by way of correction,
in TAe Latw ad-Fcso/e, P- 134 ?n, below.
4 See below. Appendix ii., p. 492.
INTRODUCTION
and in the reduction of the elements of perspective to a series of
propositions in Euclid's manner he found congenial recreation.
He was satisfied with his work, and in his Inaugural lectures at Oxford
eleven years later, he referred his pupils to the treatise, as carrying the
mathematics of perspective as far as is necessary d The book was, how-
ever, disfigured, and its utility somewhat lessened, by several mistakes
and omissions both in the diagrams and in the references to them.
Perhaps W. H. Harrison was here out of his depth, or was unable to
render his usual assistance in reading the proofs. Attention was called
in reviews of the time to the existence of serious mistakes in the text,^
but as a second edition was not called for, they passed uncorrected
(being slavishly reproduced, by the way, in the unauthorised American
reprint). Ruskin, however, went through the book at some later date,
and marked numerous corrections in his own copy. This copy has been
at the editors'' disposal, as well as the original MS. of the book, and
Ruskin's corrections have been made—the diagrams being altered where
necessary. In this edition, therefore, TAc erf appears
for the first time in a correct form.
III
TA<? q/" ZhYnemg" was atlowed, as we have seen already,
to remain for many years out of print. The last issue in the original
form was made in 1861; and it was not thus reprinted till 1892. At
the earlier date Ruskin's attention had become diverted from artistic
matters and was largely absorbed in economic and social problems.
The book was still often asked for, but the author, as was frequently
the case, had become dissatisfied in some measure with his work. In
particular, he had come to attach much greater importance to out-
line as the foundation of art-discipline than was allowed to it in
his teaching at the Working Men's College or in TAg o/*
ZbvMemgA When he began once more to concentrate his energies
on art-teaching, he desired to rewrite TAe but could not
find the timed He accordingly allowed his friend Mr. St. John
Tyrwhitt to use the woodcuts and incorporate so much of the text
as he pleased in the manual entitled CJM&. It was in
* See again on § 142. See also the reference to the book in
Pamper#, vol. v. pt. vii. ch. ii. § 11.
2 For instance, in the January 28, 1860.
3 See Fbry (7Jau:'^era, Letter 59 ; and compare the note added, by way of correction,
in TAe Latw ad-Fcso/e, P- 134 ?n, below.
4 See below. Appendix ii., p. 492.