THE UNION BANK OF LONDON (CHANCERY LANE BRANCH) IN ACCOUNT WITH ST. GEORGE'S FUND

* My friends (see a really kind article in the Monetary Gazette1) much doubt, and very naturally, the wisdom of this exposition. I indeed expected to appear to some better advantage; but that the confession is not wholly pleasant, and appears imprudent, only makes it the better example. Fors would have it so.

1

But the

[A review of Letter 62 in the number for February 16, 1876: "We are struck with the frankness with which Mr. Ruskin discloses his own personal wealth and expenses, and also the affairs of the St. George's Company, the members of which he is determined shall have glass pockets.' Society could never have expected so much as this from him; nor are we sure that in the present state of things such frankness is absolutely wise, especially in relation to his private affairs. act itself, and the manner of doing it, show a lofty courage that could only be inspired by purity of motive. Were the same spirit of frankness to pervade directors generally, and those who are charged with the responsibility of submitting accounts to the public, the miserable shams that afflict and oppress the community, both commercial and social, would within twelve months dissolve, and there would be some chance for the inauguration of the reign of truth. It is probably this consummation that Mr. Ruskin seeks to influence by his personal example."]

Jan. 24. Royal Insurance Company (a) . 27. F. Crawley (b)

31. Taxes on Armorial Bearings, etc.

Feb. 4. Warren and Jones-Tea for Shop

6. Buying a lad off who had enlisted and repented

7. Christmas Gifts in Oxford

7. Crawley

20. Subscriptions to Societies, learned and other (k)

Balance Feb. 20

£225 5 6

my rooms

(a) Insurance on £15,000 worth of drawings and books in at Oxford. (b) Particulars of this account to be afterwards given; 2 my Oxford assistant having just lost his wife, and been subjected to unusual expenses. (c) My present valet, a delightful old German, on temporary service. (d) Present, on my birthday, of a silk frock to one of my pets. It became her very nicely; but I think there was a little too much silk in the flounces.3

(e) My good doctor at Coniston. Had to drive over from Hawkshead every other winter day, because I wouldn't stop drinking too much tea— also my servants were ill.

(f) About four times this sum will keep me comfortably-all the year round-here among my Oxford friends-when I have reduced myself to the utmost allowable limit of a St. George's Master's income-366 pounds a year (the odd pound for luck).

(g) For Copies of the Book of Kells, bought of a poor artist. Very beautiful, and good for gifts to St. George.4

1 [Hitherto printed "£360 2 0": see the correction made below, p. 585. The balance (hitherto printed £225 5s. 9d.) is here also corrected, as marked by Ruskin in Rawdon Brown's copy in the Library of St. Mark. Ruskin's note of correction is dated "J. R. Venice. 7th Nov., 1876."]

3 [See below, p. 610.]

[There are no examples of the Book of Kells in the Ruskin Museum at Sheffield, but there are some in his Drawing School at Oxford (see Vol. XXI. p. 50 n.), and others were placed by him at Whitelands College, Chelsea.]

(h) My honest host (happily falsifying his name), for friends when I haven't house room, etc. This bill chiefly for hire of carriages. (i) Downs shall give account of himself in next Fors.1

1 [This, however, was not done. But see Letter 66, § 22 (pp. 631-632), for a "typical example of one of Downs's weekly bills."]

LETTER 641

THE THREE SARCOPHAGI 2

1. I WILL begin my letter to-day with our Bible lesson, out of which other necessary lessons will spring. We must take the remaining three sons of Ham together,3 in relation to each other and to Israel.

Mizraim, the Egyptian; Phut, the Ethiopian; Sidon, the Sidonian: or, in breadth of meaning, the three African powers,-A, of the watered plain, B, of the desert, and C, of the sea; the latter throning itself on the opposite rocks of Tyre, and returning to culminate in Carthage.

A. Egypt is essentially the Hamite slavish strength of body and intellect.

B. Ethiopia, the Hamite slavish affliction of body and intellect; condemnation of the darkened race that can no more change its skin than the leopard its spots; yet capable, in its desolation, of nobleness. Read the "What doth hinder me to be baptized?-If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest" of the Acts; and after that the description in the Daily Telegraph (first Monday of March") of the Nubian king, with his sword and his Bible at his right hand, and the tame lioness with her cubs, for his playmates, at his left.

[With this Letter was issued another of Mr. Girdlestone's pamphlets: see below, § 19 n., p. 576.]

2 [See below, § 10.]

3 [The analysis of Genesis is here continued from Letter 62, p. 523.]

4 [See Genesis x. 6 and 15.]

5 Jeremiah xiii. 23.]

6 Acts viii. 36, 37.]

[Ruskin refers to Johannes, King of Abyssinia, against whom an Egyptian expedition was at this time proceeding. A special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph (Monday, February 26, 1876) describes this royal warrior" as "regularly attended by three loose lions who are always on hand when he receives his nobility or foreigners of distinction."]

XXVIII.

561

2 N

C. Tyre' is the Hamite slavish pleasure of sensual and idolatrous art, clothing her nakedness with sea purple. She is lady of all beautiful carnal pride, and of the commerce that feeds it, her power over the Israelite being to beguile, or help for pay, as Hiram.2

But Ethiopia and Tyre are always connected with each other: Tyre, the queen of commerce; Ethiopia, her goldbringing slave; the redemption of these being Christ's utmost victory. "They of Tyre, with the Morians—there, even there, was He born." "Then shall princes come out of Egypt, and Ethiopia stretch forth her hands unto God." "He shall let go my captives, not for price; and the labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia, shall come over unto thee, and shall be thine."*

2. Learn now, after the fifteenth, also the sixteenth verse of Genesis x.,3 and read the fifteenth chapter with extreme care. If you have a good memory, learn it by heart from beginning to end; it is one of the most sublime and pregnant passages in the entire compass of ancient literature.

Then understand generally that the spiritual meaning of Egyptian slavery is labour without hope, but having all the reward, and all the safety of labour absolute. Its beginning is to discipline and adorn the body,-its end is to embalm the body; its religion is first to restrain, then to judge, "whatsoever things are done in the body, whether they be good or evil." Therefore, whatever may be well done by

5

* Psalm lxviii. 31; lxxxiii. 7 and 8; lxxxvii. 4;6 Isaiah xlv. 13, 14. I am not sure of my interpretation of the 87th Psalm; but, as far as any significance exists in it to our present knowledge, it can only be of the power of the Nativity of Christ to save Rahab the harlot, Philistia the giant, Tyre the trader, and Ethiopia the slave.

7

[Compare the notes on Tyre, appended in this edition to St. Mark's Rest (Vol. XXIV. pp. 447_seq.).]

2 [See 1 Kings v.]

3 [Compare Letter 65, § 11 (p. 596).]

4 [For the author's exposition of Genesis xv., see Letter 65, §§ 1 seq. (pp. 587 seq.).]

5 2 Corinthians v. 10.]

6 [Prayer-book version.]

[For correction of this interpretation, see Letters 66, §§ 8 and 26 (pp. 618, 637), and 75, § 12 (Vol. XXIX. p. 69). See also St. Mark's Rest, § 26 (Vol. XXIV. p. 228).]