Ruskin 's notion of the dubious premises underlying Shakespeare 's popularity reflects his conviction that the greatest art can only be undertaken or understood by a select few imbued with genius ( Works, 5.189). While Shakespeare produced the highest art, appealing to the finest minds, he is appreciated by the vulgar generality as well because his works contain not only the noblest effects of genius but also 'low' or 'common' dramatic devices. In Praeterita Ruskin admitted that Macbeth had appealed to him as a child 'for the sake of the witches' and, elsewhere, he complains that Shakespeare's works were regrettably of uneven quality. ( Works, 35.141; 5.369)