Architecture ... the adaptation of form to resist force. John Ruskin More Quotes by John Ruskin More Quotes From John Ruskin No nation can last which has made a mob of itself, however generous at heart. John Ruskin lasts made heart He who offers God a second place offers Him no place. John Ruskin second-place idolatry offers Failure is less attributable to either insufficiency of means or impatience of labours than to a confused understanding of the thing actually to be done. John Ruskin confused understanding mean It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated. John Ruskin simplicity simple complicated That admiration of the 'neat but not gaudy,' which is commonly reported to have influenced the devil when he painted his tail pea green. John Ruskin devil green tails You will never love art well until you love what she mirrors better. John Ruskin wells mirrors art A nation which lives a pastoral and innocent life never decorates the shepherd's staff or the plough-handle; but races who live by depredation and slaughter nearly always bestow exquisite ornaments on the quiver, the helmet, and the spear. John Ruskin shepherds ornaments race The relative majesty of buildings depends more on the weight and vigour of their masses than any other tribute of their design. John Ruskin majesty design weight Another of the strange and evil tendencies of the present day is the decoration of the railroad station... There was never more flagrant nor impertinent folly than the smallest portion of ornament in anything connected with the railroads... Railroad architecture has or would have a dignity of its own if it were only left to its work. John Ruskin ornaments railroads evil You must get into the habit of looking intensely at words, and assuring yourself of their meaning, syllable by syllable-nay, letter by letter... you might read all the books in the British Museum (if you could live long enough) and remain an utterly "illiterate," undeducated person; but if you read ten pages of a good book, letter by letter, - that is to say, with real accuracy- you are for evermore in some measure an educated person. John Ruskin real museums book You may sell your work, but not your soul. John Ruskin your-soul soul may As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it. John Ruskin astrology roots ideas That which seems to be wealth may in verity be only the gilded index of far reaching ruin John Ruskin ruins wealth may The man who accepts the laissez-faire doctrine would allow his garden to grow wild so that roses might fight it out with the weeds and the fittest might survive. John Ruskin weed fighting men Better a child should be ignorant of a thousand truths than have consecrated in its heart a single lie. John Ruskin heart lying children There are, indeed, two forms of discontent: one laborious, the other indolent and complaining. We respect the man of laborious desire, but let us not suppose that his restlessness is peace, or his ambition meekness. It is because of the special connection of meekness with contentment that it is promised that the meek shall 'inherit the earth.' Neither covetous men, nor the grave, can inherit anything; they can but consume. Only contentment can possess. John Ruskin ambition men two The object of true education is to make people not merely do the right things, but enjoy them John Ruskin objects enjoy people He who has once stood beside the grave, to look back upon the companionship which has been forever closed, feeling how impotent there are the wild love, or the keen sorrow, to give one instant's pleasure to the pulseless heart, or atone in the lowest measure to the departed spirit for the hour of unkindness, will scarcely for the future incur that debt to the heart which can only be discharged to the dust. John Ruskin dust heart giving Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life. John Ruskin generosity mind heart Variety is a positive requisite even in the character of our food. John Ruskin variety character
