CONFOUNDED CRITIC

摘要

to MR. ruskin's eye the best of our restoration are mere vandalisms, for he protests against them root and branch: and to him all the difficulties and disappointments met with in carrying them out would be only so many reasons for reproaching us for having undertaken them at all. Anyhow, he would find in England far more than one half of our ancient churches to have been so dealt with by ignorant and sacrilegious hands... but restoration has not laboured alone in the work of Vandalism; deliberate destruction has been rife. Has not one great cathedral body deliberately pulled down its ancient hospital hall of the 14th century, and another its stupendous tythe barn of the 13th? Fully, however, as we may allow that we have in these days more cause for humiliation than for mutual gratulation, we cannot go so far as to admit that this deprives us of the right and privilege of giving honour where we know that honour is due. Great as are Mr. Ruskin's merits, they are in the main those of words rather than deeds. Mr. Ruskin says we have not any right remaining either to bestow or to receive honours; but he perhaps reserves to himself the pontifical power of dispensation.