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Quotes from John Ruskin

There is no law of history any more than of a kaleidoscope.
~ John Ruskin
Architecture… the adaptation of form to resist force.
~ John Ruskin
All books are divisible into two classes: the books of the hour, and the books of all time.
~ John Ruskin
Life without industry is guilt, industry without art is brutality.
~ John Ruskin
Cheerfulness is as natural to the heart of a man in strong health, as color to his cheek; and wherever there is habitual gloom, there must be either bad air, unwholesome food, improperly severe labor, or erring habits of life.
~ John Ruskin
Better the rudest work that tells a story or records a fact, than the richest without meaning.
~ John Ruskin
Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the Deity to be a source of delight.
~ John Ruskin
You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil buy it, by compromise with evil.
~ John Ruskin
The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world... to see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion all in one.
~ John Ruskin
There is a working class - strong and happy - among both rich and poor: there is an idle class - weak, wicked, and miserable - among both rich and poor.
~ John Ruskin
The first condition of education is being able to put someone to wholesome and meaningful work.
~ John Ruskin
The sky is the part of creation in which nature has done for the sake of pleasing man.
~ John Ruskin
Let us reform our schools, and we shall find little reform needed in our prisons.
~ John Ruskin
Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.
~ John Ruskin
Every great person is always being helped by everybody for their gift is to get good out of all things and all persons.
~ John Ruskin
No architecture is so haughty as that which is simple.
~ John Ruskin
Wherever men are noble, they love bright colour; and wherever they can live healthily, bright colour is given them—in sky, sea, flowers, and living creatures.
~ John Ruskin
Taste… is the only morality…. Tell me what you like, and I'll tell you what you are.
~ John Ruskin
All great and beautiful work has come of first gazing without shrinking into the darkness.
~ John Ruskin
Some slaves are scoured to their work by whips, others by their restlessness and ambition.
~ John Ruskin
He that would be angry and sin not, must not be angry with anything but sin.
~ John Ruskin
Whether for life or death, do your own work well.
~ John Ruskin
To see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion all in one.
~ John Ruskin
It is in this power of saying everything, and yet saying nothing too plainly, that the perfection of art consists.
~ John Ruskin