John Ruskin

Modern education has devoted itself to the teaching of impudence, and then we complain that we can no longer control our mobs.

The work of science is to substitute facts for appearances, and demonstrations for impressions.

Some slaves are scoured to their work by whips, others by their restlessness and ambition.

Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.

Books are divided into two classes, the books of the hour and the books of all time.

Education is the leading of human souls to what is best, and making what is best out of them.

It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper place, than to expand both indiscriminately.

Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts - the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art.

Every great man is always being helped by everybody, for his gift is to get good out of all things and all persons.

Music when healthy, is the teacher of perfect order, and when depraved, the teacher of perfect disorder.

All great art is the work of the whole living creature, body and soul, and chiefly of the soul.

Let every dawn be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close.

The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most.

The essence of lying is in deception, not in words.

Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close: — then let every one of these short lives leave its sure record of some kindly thing done for others — some goodly strength or knowledge gained for yourselves.

This is the true nature of home - it is the place of Peace; the shelter, not only from all injury, but from all terror, doubt, and division.

High art consists neither in altering, nor in improving nature; but in seeking throughout nature for 'whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are pure;' in loving these, in displaying to the utmost of the painter's power such loveliness as is in them, and directing the thoughts of others to them by winning art, or gentle emphasis.

He who is not actively kind is cruel!

All that is good in art is the expression of one soul talking to another, and is precious according to the greatness of the soul that utters it.

A man is born an artist as a hippopotamus is born a hippopotamus; and you can no more make yourself one than you can make yourself a giraffe.

Much of the character of everyman may be read in his house.