John Ruskin, 1819 – 1900, was a leading English art critic, social thinker, and early "political economist", of the Victorian era. This work is a publication of two lectures in which he conflates subjects as varied as Treasure (Kings) and Gardens (Queens), gender roles and studies of drama, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and political economy. His brilliance is in seeing connections.

For example, the power of one of the themes--that education is salvific and women are as worthy of education as males--is apparent with his reposte after observing that it is foolish to enslave a woman to a man: "As if he could be helped effectively by a shadow, or worthily by a slave." [115] This is the truth behind the fact that the harems rarely produce great leaders, for the children of slaves are rarely able to raise themselves to be kings and queens.

Ruskin understands English to be a mongrel tongue [33]--cobbled out of trade and a series of migrations--and recognizes that the use of a single word can stamp "class" and merit upon a speaker because of the power of Education. [29-30] He hurls theologians upon the swords of their own mistranslations. [32 ff] He provides an example from Milton's "Lycidas", perhaps taking the elegy as a homily on the keys to heaven. Among his teachings is the observation that "what you took for your own judgment was mere chance prejudice" which drifted in upon you. He suggests you set fire to "such wind-sown herbage of evil surmise". [52] Instead, turn to education, and educate both your thoughts and your passions. [53 ff]
Ruskin is unequivocal about hypocrisy: "A great nation does not mock Heaven and its Powers, by pretending belief in a revelation which asserts the love of money to be the root of all evil, and declaring, at the same time, that it is actuated, and intends to be actuated, in all chief national deeds and measures, by no other love." [61]

Like his Unitarian friend, Carlyle, UU Ruskin began to adopt the “prophetic” stance, familiar from the Bible, of a voice crying from the wilderness and seeking to call a lapsed people back into the paths of righteousness.

These two lectures exemplify Ruskin's self-positioning into a prophetic but marginal role as a disenchanted outsider. Ruskin here is a wondrous voice crying out from the wilderness and seeking to call a lapsed people back into the paths of righteousness. He makes a case for moral and esthetic consistency. The writing exhibits the beauty, ferocity and oddness that are features of Ruskin’s unique career. ( )