The hostility of this critic, F. Dexter, to Modern Painters I stems from his continuing belief in the theories outlined in Reynolds's Discourses (1769-90) (see here). Dexter professes to find difficulty in understanding either the aim of Modern Painters I (see here), or its popularity (see here). Like John Eagles and George Darley, critics of Blackwood's Magazine and the Athenaeum, he resents the challenge to tradition that Modern Painters I presents (see here). Several passages from the work are quoted to illustrate the points with which he disagrees: on old the masters from the Preface to the first edition (1843) (see here), an extract from 'The Truth of Water' (see here), one to point out Ruskin's ignorance of Ruysdael's painting (not named) in the Louvre (see here), and two passages on the precedence of particular truths over general (see here) and of form over colour (see here). Hostile to the later works of Turner (see here), he questions the treatment of Constable (see here).