444 APPENDIX TO PART II

I think, give opportunity for some fine solemn greys and quiet tones to take off from the glare of the dress, which must be pure ruby, with shades of deeper red; the sky nearly black at the top, passing down through intense blue. The broken scythe and hour-glass mean-”there shall be time no longer.”¹ I think the angel is crooked; tell Ward to put his spine right. We leave this place for Chamouni to-morrow, and henceforward I believe I shall have my time so fully occupied that I shall be unable to think more of the window. I leave it with perfect confidence in Mr. Storie’s hands and yours. The Ark and cloud circles I have not had time to think of; the latter puzzles me. Try something yourself. And with all the rest, alter and add as you see fit, and especially with those things last sent, as I have no books by me to study them from. I think the colour of this millennium side is tolerably good, and will match the purgatory; only the dragon looks as if he had just come off the handle of some dragon china, and the celestial city looks like the wall of the celestial empire; but I daresay Ward will make them more decent. The resurrection in the third segment below I do not think wants altering, it will look ghastly and spectral beside the others, and so it should. It will be valuable also to set off the richness of the others. I should like to hear from you when you have time. All our kindest regards to all at Champion Hill.

Ever very truly yours,

J. RUSKIN.

I send you also the St. Radegonde bit; you will find it in Lasteyrie.² If Ward has any prints from St. Patrice, he can take the “death” there for the model of the fighting angel, altering the head and bosom; it is a fine figure.

6

CHAMOUNI, June 31st.

DEAR OLDFIELD,-I wished to send you a long letter, but find it impossible to sit down quietly here. I have only three days more of it, and every moment of it will be employed; so I can only send you a short note to tell you how delighted I am with your design for the long light. I think it in every way beautiful and good. But I much dread Ward’s nasty figures in the circles. He hasn’t much room, which is a mercy. I am sorry the chequers must be larger, but I see it cannot be helped; indeed, I doubt rather if it will be found possible to get the rest of the design and border clear in the space, but I hope Ward will make an effort, and draw delicately. I am obliged to you also for pointing out the optical effect of the crosses, which is to me both new and inexplicable.

I fully agree with you in every word you say about the last drawings I sent, and I am thoroughly glad that I happened to leave town, as it has put you on your mettle, and made me much more easy as to the

¹ [Revelation x. 6.]

² [Ferdinand de Lasteyrie: Histoire de la Peinture sur verre d’après des monuments en France: 1838-1857. A window representing the Last Judgment in the Abbey Church of St. Radegonde at Poictiers, is the subject of Plates 19 and 20 in that work.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]