RUSKIN (John, 1819-1900, Writer and Critic)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed 'J. Ruskin' to "Dear Mrs Thornley" thanking her for "those entirely exquisite embroideries of flowers - quite the best of their kind I have ever seen. May I try to do so this afternoon, better than I can in writing - and wish you and your family a happy New Year - especially such part of it as you may spare us at Coniston. I will come about four o'clock if I may ..." , 1 side 8vo., Brantwood, Coniston, headed paper, 2nd January

His last great work was his autobiography, Praeterita (1885–89) (meaning, 'Of Past Things'), was a highly personalised, selective, eloquent but incomplete account of aspects of his life, the preface of which was written in his childhood nursery at Herne Hill. The period from the late 1880s was one of steady and inexorable decline. Gradually it became too difficult for him to travel to Europe. As he had grown weaker, suffering prolonged bouts of mental illness, he had been looked after by his second cousin, Joan Severn (formerly "companion" to Ruskin's mother) and her husband Arthur and she and her family inherited his estate

Item Date:  1885

Stock No:  41727      £975

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