Ruskin, John
Ruskin, John ( 1819 – 1900 ).The only child of John James and Margaret Ruskin , he grew up in Surrey. His father paid off family debts and built up the wine business of which he was a founding partner; he was able to pass on to his son a large fortune, of which Ruskin gave much away. To his parents Ruskin also owed a reliance on the Bible, a strong affection for romantic literature, stern political views, and an early attraction to contemporary landscape painting. Much of his schooling was given at home, and from 1836 to 1842 he was at Christ Church, Oxford, where he won the Newdigate Prize but did not find the curriculum profitable. Travel was a more important part of his education. The family took regular tours through the picturesque areas of Britain, and, from 1833 , on the Continent. These helped fix Ruskin's lifelong preference for French cathedral towns, the Alps, and certain cities of northern Italy, and gave...
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