Quotes from John Ruskin

There is never vulgarity in a whole truth, however commonplace. It may be unimportant or painful. It cannot be vulgar. Vulgarity is only in concealment of truth, or in affectation.

Men don't and can't live by exchanging articles, but by producing them. They don't live by trade, but by work. Give up that foolish and vain title of Trades Unions and take that of laborers Unions.

Borrowers are nearly always ill-spenders, and it is with lent money that all evil is mainly done and all unjust war protracted.

No art can be noble which is incapable of expressing thought, and no art is capable of expressing thought which does not change.

To know anything well involves a profound sensation of ignorance.

As long as there are cold and nakedness in the land around you, so long can there be no question at all but that splendor of dress is a crime.

Man's only true happiness is to live in hope of something to be won by him. Reverence something to be worshipped by him, and love something to be cherished by him, forever.

The first test of a truly great man is his humility. By humility I don't mean doubt of his powers or hesitation in speaking his opinion, but merely an understanding of the relationship of what he can say and what he can do.

Be sure that you go to the author to get at his meaning, not to find yours.

Large fortunes are all founded either on the occupation of land, or lending or the taxation of labor.

Of all the pulpits from which human voice is ever sent forth, there is none from which it reaches so far as from the grave.

People cannot live by lending money to one another.

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, and snow is exhilarating; there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.

Taste is not only a part and index of morality, it is the only morality. The first, and last, and closest trial question to any living creature is What do you like Tell me what you like, I'll tell you what you are.

Tell me what you like and I'll tell you what you are.

The beginning and almost the end of all good law is that everyone shall work for their bread and receive good bread for their work.

The highest reward for man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.

This is the true nature of home -- it is the place of Peace; the shelter, not only from injury, but from all terror, doubt and division.

We may live without her, and worship without her, but we cannot remember without her. How cold is all history, how lifeless all imagery, compared to that which the living nation writes, and the uncorrupted marble bears

We were not sent into this world to do anything into which we can not put our heart.

You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless, and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself.

To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.

It is better to lose your pride with someone you love rather than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride.

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.