SD2748. John Ruskin to Joseph Milsand
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 316–317 (in part).
Denmark Hill
12th February. 1865
My dear Sir
I have had it long in my mind to write to you, ever since the publication of your first review of me in the Deux Mondes. I thank you for the encouragement I received from such a notice by a critic of another nation: but it is very difficult to say what is just and right and fitting in such a matter: I know it must be a pleasure to you to be able to give praise of this deep and careful kind; and it would be mere affectation in me not to receive it as you give it—in sincerity and simplicity—
—What I wish mainly to tell you is that I accept your strictures as heartily and frankly as I do your praise—looking back on my work I entirely feel the truth of the greater part of what you say respecting my failures: more especially in having attributed far too much historical and representative,—far too little decorative and ideal power to the higher conditions of art. I am always at work trying to learn more—and to express some things which I did feel, but had not time—or did not think it the occasion then to express. For the rest, I can very faithfully assure you that nothing has yet given me so much encouragement—or so much of the rare happiness which comes of a discovered sympathy, as your review of me—and I have always loved the French so much and striven so hard to bring about so far as in me lay, a better feeling in my own nation towards them, that my gratification is far greater in the fact of my kind critic being a Frenchman, than it could have been under any circumstances—in the sympathy of my own people.
If you come to England at any time—will you permit me to have the pleasure of seeing you? and accept this brief, but not therefore less earnest expression of my obligation to you, with pardon for its tardiness.
Believe me, my Dear Sir very respectfully and gratefully yours
J Ruskin.
A Monr
Monr J. Milsand–
&c &c &c
Address: Monr J. Milsand. / Par favour de Messrs G. Bailliére / 17 Rue de l’Ecole-de-Medecine / Paris.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Joseph Milsand Archive.
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