Note 52 — Chapter XI

It was Mr. Ruskin’s practice to destroy everything not of special interest to him or what was unlikely to be of use. On one occasion the present writer sent him by request certain early proofs of etched plates, the coppers of which were in the Professor’s possession. After a time, on being requested to return them, he replied that he had destroyed them—‘How else do you think I could do my work if I litter my house with such?’—and offered by way of compensation to have as many proofs pulled as his disconsolate correspondent might desire.