308 ST. MARK’S REST

aloud), “Around this Temple, let the Merchant’s law be just, his weights true, and his covenants faithful.”¹ And writing thus, in lovelier letters, above the place of St. Mark’s Rest,-

“Brave be the living, who live unto the Lord;

For Blessed are the dead, that die in Him.”²

132. NOTE.-The mosaics described in this number of St. Mark’s Rest being now liable at any moment to destruction-from causes already enough specified³-I have undertaken, at the instance of Mr. Edward Burne-Jones, and with promise of that artist’s helpful superintendence, at once to obtain some permanent record of them, the best that may be at present possible: and to that end I have already despatched to Venice an accomplished young draughtsman, who is content to devote himself, as old painters did, to the work before him for the sake of that, and his own honour, at journeyman’s wages. The three of us, Mr. Burne-Jones, and he, and I, are alike minded to set our hands and souls hard at this thing: but we can’t, unless the public will a little help us. I have given away already all I have to spare, and can’t carry on this work at my own cost; and if Mr. Burne-Jones gives his time and care gratis, and without stint, as I know he will, it is all he should be asked for. Therefore, the public must give me enough to maintain my draughtsman at his task: what mode of publication for the drawings may be then possible, is for after-consideration. I ask for subscriptions at present to obtain the copies only. The reader is requested to refer also to the final note appended to the new edition of the Stones of Venice,⁴ and to send what subscription he may please to my publisher, Mr. G. Allen, Sunnyside, Orpington, Kent.

¹ [The Latin text is given below, p. 417; and the inscription is reproduced on Plate LXII. in Vol. XXI. p. 268.]

² [Revelation xiv. 13. This is not an inscription actually on the church, but Ruskin uses it symbolically as a summary of the teaching of its carvings and mosaics; compare § 91, p. 280.]

³ [That is, in the newspapers: see the Introduction, above, pp. lviii. seq. The “accomplished young draughtsman” was Mr. T. M. Rooke. See further, below, p. 416.]

⁴ [The note appended to the first volume of the “Travellers’ Edition” (1879): see Vol. X. p. 463.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]