Selections From the Works of John Ruskin

"Selections From the Works of John Ruskin" by John Ruskin is a collection of writings that shows the thoughts of a well-known art critic and social thinker from the 1800s. This collection, created in the early 1900s, tries to capture Ruskin's different ideas about art, the natural world, and what is right and wrong, showing how much he changed art criticism and the push for improvements in society. The book talks about many things, like how to see the beauty in nature and art, and also criticizes the rise of factories and the way society was changing. The introduction explains that the editors want to share important parts of Ruskin's writing while keeping his original ideas clear. It points out that Ruskin loved both beautiful art and making society better, showing that he believed understanding art is closely linked to being a good person. By looking at his early life, what influenced him, and his main works, the beginning shows how Ruskin's life experiences shaped how he viewed art and society, getting readers ready for detailed talks about things like buildings, landscapes, and how art and ethics connect in the following sections.