John Ruskin Quotes
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A thing is worth what it can do for you, not what you choose to pay for it.
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We have seen when the earth had to be prepared for the habitation of man, a veil, as it were, of intermediate being was spread between him and its darkness, in which were joined in a subdued measure, the stability and insensibility of the earth, and the passion and perishing of mankind.
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Know thyself, for through thyself only thou canst know God.
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Sculpture is not the mere cutting of the form of anything in stone; it is the cutting of the effect of it. Very often the true form, in the marble, would not be in the least like itself.
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That man is always happy who is in the presence of something which he cannot know to the full, which he is always going on to know.
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People are always expecting to get peace in heaven: but you know whatever peace they get there will be ready-made. Whatever making of peace they can be blest for, must be on the earth here.
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Humanity and Immortality consist neither in reason, nor in love; not in the body, nor in the animation of the heart of it, nor in the thoughts and stirrings of the brain of it;--but in the dedication of them all to Him who will raise them up at the last day.
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What is the cheapest to you now is likely to be the dearest to you in the end.
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Do justice to your brother, and you will come to love him. But do injustice to him because you don't love him, and you will come to hate him.
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Bread of flour is good; but there is bread, sweet as honey, if we would eat it, in a good book.
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God never imposes a duty without giving time to do it.
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To cultivate sympathy you must be among living creatures, and thinking about them; and to cultivate admiration, you must be among beautiful things and looking at them.
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And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.
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The entire object of true education is to make people not merely do the right things, but enjoy the right things — not merely industrious, but to love industry — not merely learned, but to love knowledge — not merely pure, but to love purity — not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice.
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When men are rightly occupied, their amusement grows out of their work.
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The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just as writing is.
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I desire ... to leave this one great fact clearly stated. THERE IS NO WEALTH BUT LIFE.
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But whether thus submissively or not, at least be sure that you go to the author to get at his meaning, not to find yours.
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Some slaves are scoured to their work by whips, others by their restlessness and ambition.
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See! This our fathers did for us.
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The sculptor must paint with his chisel; half his touches are not to realize, but to put power into, the form. They are touches of light and shadow, and raise a ridge, or sink a hollow, not to represent an actual ridge or hollow, but to get a line of light, or a spot of darkness.
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Being thus prepared for us in all ways, and made beautiful, and good for food, and for building, and for instruments of our hands, this race of plants, deserving boundless affection and admiration from us, becomes, in proportion to their obtaining it, a nearly perfect test of our being in right temper of mind and way of life; so that no one can be far wrong in either who loves trees enough, and everyone is assuredly wrong in both who does not love them, if his life has brought them in his way.
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An infinitude of tenderness is the chief gift and inheritance of all truly great men.
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There are many religions, but there is only one morality.