III - THE VALUE OF DRAWING: ADDRESS TO THE ST. MARTIN'S SCHOOL OF ART (APRIL 3, 1857)

Summary

1. Mr. Ruskin said that he was under some discouragement at that moment from what had fallen from the excellent artist (Mr. George Cruikshank) who had just addressed them. He (Mr. Ruskin) came there that evening in great exultation at the advancement that had been made in this school; and, having come to the meeting, he had heard from one of the greatest artists in some particular lines, that he in his youth had no such benefits whatever as were conferred by this school. That was a first discouragement. If great artists regretted that they were not greater, and if good artists regretted that they were not better—and such there were, for he thought that Mr. Cruikshank lamented the loss he had sustained in the deficiency of his early education—yet he did think, and was glad to have that opportunity of telling them that, in his opinion, the etchings of that great artist (Mr. Cruikshank) were amongst the most instructive models they could have before them in reference to the peculiar characters of every-day life. He did think that the value of Mr. Cruikshank's works was greater, more precise, more profound in illustration, than that of the works of any other living etcher—so far as he was acquainted with their works. And he could not impress too much on the students he addressed the advantage they would derive from paying great care to Mr. Cruikshank's works, for that artist never turned a bad work out of his hands.