RUSKIN, John (1819-1900). Author, artist & social reformer.
Twelve Autograph Letters Signed to his 'Winnington' child friend Lily Armstrong, three unpublished, 25 pages, 1865-1889. With five envelopes, two of them addressed to Lily after her marriage, as Mrs Kevill Davies. Two letters with small pieces cut from the foot, in neither case affecting the signature. Some wear and splits but generally good.

Ruskin first met Lily Armstrong when she was a 12-year-old schoolgirl at Winnington, the girls' boarding-school in Cheshire run by the financially inept Margaret Alexis Bell with considerable interest and assistance from Ruskin himself. He was a regular visitor to the school, where he not only proceeded with his own writing but joined in games and dancing with the girls. His friendship with Lily lasted long beyond her schooldays and after her marriage, and was evidently deeply affectionate on both sides, despite occasional moments when Ruskin felt himself neglected. He confessed himself not a little in love with Lily, and she confiding to him as late as 1887 that she not only kept all his letters but regularly read them through at night before going to bed and that 'I often put them back in their bag with red eyes, having had a good cry over them, but I love them with all my heart' (Lily to JR in the John Rylands Library).

Nine of the letters are published in The Winnington Letters, ed Van Akin Burd, London 1969 (WL).

Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Ruskin'), 3 pages 8vo (small piece excised), Denmark Hill, 23 September 1865. WL 385, p. 566. Thanking her for her letter and commenting on its literacy, and, in childish talk, offering to send a doll to her sister Lanty.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Birdie'), 1 page 8vo with blank leaf (small piece excised), Denmark Hill, 29 January 1868. WL 440 p. 611.

'Yes. Miss La Touche is my old Rose. I saw her often - this time two year's [sic]ago. She was as tall then as she is now.
She ought to look sad - and very sad - and that for many a day to come. For all days to come in the this world. ...'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Your loving old Birdie J. Ruskin'), 3 pages 8vo, Denmark Hill, 23 December 1871. WL 500, p. 672. The fine letter in which Ruskin consoles Lily in her unhappiness and contrasts his own emotions as a teenager [his love for Clothide Domecq] and later in life [his love for Rose La Touche]:

'... When I was your age, I thought that all my life was spoiled by one thing that had hurt me very much. I acted with infinite folly and against much loving entreaty, in allowing my mind to dwell on what hurt it. But - in spite of all, the impression wore away, and the real crisis of my life - in matters of that kind - was between 40 and 50 instead of between 15 and 25. ...'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Birdie'), 2 pages 8vo, [?London, December 1882]. WL 529, p. 696. About a proposed visit to Brantwood ('and you really will come again and be barmaid?'), and thanking her for a photograph, whilst preferring an earlier one ('in the three nuns').

Autograph Letter Signed (to 'My poor, dear, sweet, own, old pretty, Bearie'), written after Lily's marriage and the birth of her daughter [Violet Elise Isabel Kevill-Davies] and signed 'your lovingest Birdie', 2 pages 8vo, Brantwood, 1 July 1883. WL 530, pages 696-697. Solicitous of her health, describing a visit from [Charles Eliot] Norton, and reminding Lily of having met Norton at Denmark Hill (?).

Autograph Letter Signed ('Birdie'), 2 pages 8vo, Brantwood, ?April 1889. WL 538, pages 703-704.

'But what a blundering old Bear you must have been - not to know perfectly well how much 'I thought of you' as you call it? Were not all the Winnington girls furious at you about it? - and did ever you see anybody else turning me round your finger as you used to do - or have so often to say 'Paws off!?' ...'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Di Pa'), 2 pages 8vo, Brantwood, Easter-day [21 April] 1889. WL 539, pages 704-705. About Lily and Violet's visit to Brantwood, and Violet's work colouring work.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Birdie'), 2 pages 8vo, Brantwood, 25 April 1889. WL 540, p. 705. Concerning the forthcoming visit ('I shall never think you past seventeen. You don't speak of Violet's coming - you needn't be jealous of her, I assure you, I look upon her mostly in the light of a chaperone!').

Autograph Letter Signed ('I am your grateful Birdie / J Ruskin'), 2 pages 8vo, Brantwood, 7 May 1889. WL 541, p. 706. Postponing a visit until he has recovered his strength ('I hope to be much more of a birdie, (peewit or curlew) by the time the heather is out - and then your London season will be over and you'll be glad of a little garden and boating time here - so I've made up my mind to be patient and have your visit to look forward to.')

The following three letters are not printed in The Winnington Letters. They are undated: two are on the Joynson / First Quality paper that Ruskin used in the earlier letters of this sequence, and the third is written from Verona, probably during his visit of 1869.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Birdie'), 2 pages 8vo with blank leaf, Saturday morning (a relatively early hand?), organising an afternoon excursion with Joanna [Joan Severn]:

'I could not answer your little note yesterday, for I was far away. I don't know where - (except that one place I was at was called Rosanna - which was not a name I was likely to forget - was it?) - but I'm going to run round this morning to see if you're up - if not - you naughty little dormant Lily, all I can do will be to leave this note ...'

Autograph Letter Signed ('Ever her loving Birdie / J Ruskin'), 3 pages 8vo, Brantwood, no date [1871 or later], complaining of toothache ('When is this suffering to end. I am so ashamed of myself for never having known what pain is, for long. ... I am quite cowardly) and adding that 'I do love you now more than ever before, after seeing what you really are in character and disposition'. Ruskin also commends a work by [?Sir Arthur] Helps which he has arranged to send to Lily.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Birdie'), 1 page 8vo, Verona, 26 July ?1869, asking Lily to write to him in Venice, and if in London to call at Denmark Hill when Joan [Severn] has returned. He also, characteristically, warns her about trusting doctors.
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