According to today's newspaper, a new film about John Ruskin is due to go into production. The movie will naturally be about his disastrous marriage to Effie Gray (to be played by Oscar-nominated Carey Mulligan) and more generally the private life of the pre-Raphaelites. Still, it was enough of an excuse for the Observer to dish up a few lines about Ruskin's importance as a critic and all-round intellectual of his day. Unto This Last was a huge bestseller, and remains the best of the romantic blasts against capitalism. I think he was wrong but he certainly speaks to many in our own times. I particularly liked these two quotations:

Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.

All books are divisible into two classes, the books of the hour and the books of all time.

I have a lovely facsimile edition of Unto This Last with his self-portrait on the cover, bought at his home, Brantwood,  on the shores of Coniston Water.