SD2754. John Ruskin to Joseph Milsand

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 317 (in part).

[Denmark Hill]

28th Feb [1865]

My dear Sir

Your letter made me very happy. I want to write a long one—and can’t—I’m so confoundedly busy, just now—only Mr Browning wrote to me that you once thought I should be angry at your criticisms!—how could you think that? Unless—indeed—you have found as I have found so often—that however much praise or sympathy you give people—if you give them even the least bit of blame—if it’s only enough to hold the praise on, like a cherry stone—they suck all the praise off—and spit the stone back in your face—or, if its big enough—throw it at you like the Merchant under the date tree in Arabian nights.

The fact is I grumble now so much over my own past work that I generally can’t bear to hear of people reading it—so I take all the sympathy as unexpected—all the blame as proper—when it’s honest.

—Well– I’m very thankful for yours—blame & praise alike & much the better for it.

Ever gratefully yours,

J Ruskin

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Joseph Milsand Archive.

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