Note to Sur la lecture, preface to Sesame and Lilies
In this preface I have merely
tried in my own way to reflect upon the same subject that Ruskin
covered in Kings' Treasuries: the benefits of reading. In this
way these few pages, even though they have little connection with
Ruskin constitute, if you like, a sort of indirect criticism of
his doctrine. By bringing forth my ideas, I involuntarily found
that they are opposed to his beforehand. As a direct commentary,
the notes that I have placed at the foot of almost every page of
Ruskin's text were sufficient. I would have nothing to add here
then, had I not wanted to express once again my gratitude to my
friend Mlle Marie Nordlinger who, so much more profitably
occupied with her magnificent works of sculpture in which she
shows such originality and mastery, had quite willingly and
closely reviewed this translation, frequently making it less
imperfect. I also wish to thank for all the precious information
that he has quite willingly sent me, M. Charles Newton Scott, the
poet and scholar to whom we are indebted for The church and
compassion for animals and The Epoch of Marie Antoinette,
two charming books that deserve to be more well known in France,
full of learning, feeling and spirit.
P.S. This translation was already with the printers when the
magnificent English edition (Library Edition) of the
works of Ruskin appeared, published by Allen, E.T. Cook and
Anthony Wedderburn, the book containing Sesame and Lilies
(July 1905). I was eager to ask for my manuscript to be returned,
hoping to complete some of my notes with the help of those of
Mssrs Cook and Wedderburn. Unfortunately, despite the great
interest I had in this volume, I was unable to make use of it
from the point of view of my own book. Of course the most part of
the references were already included in my notes. However the Library
Edition had provided me with some new ones. I have had them
added after the words "the Library Edition tells
us", having never borrowed a reference from it without
immediately indicating from where I had taken it. As regards
comparisons with the rest of Ruskin's works one will observe that
the Library Edition refers back to texts that I have not
mentioned, and that I refer back to texts that the Library
Edition does not mention. Those of my readers who are not
familiar with my preface to The Bible of Amiens may
perhaps have thought that, in coming second, I would have been
able to profit from the Ruskinian references by Mssrs Cook and
Wedderburn. Others that understand what I proposed for myself in
these editions will not be surprised that I have not done that.
Such comparisons as I conceive them are essentially individual.
They are nothing but a flash of memory, a glimmering of the
sensibility that is suddenly illuminated between two different
passages. And these illuminations are not as fortuitous as they
might seem. To add artificialities that do not spring from my
innermost self, would falsify the view, thanks to them, that I am
trying to give of Ruskin. Additionally the Library Edition
provides numerous historical and biographical references, often
of great interest. One will see that I have taken account of
them, when I was able to, only rarely. Firstly they do not fit in
absolutely with the aim I have set myself. Secondly, the purely
scientific Library Edition forbids itself all commentary
on Ruskin's text, which leaves plenty of room for bringing to
light all the new documents, all the new unpublished material,
which is truly its raison d'être. On the contrary I
follow Ruskin's text with endless commentaries that give this
volume considerable proportions, so that to add reproductions of
unpublished material, variants etc. would have overloaded it
unforgivably. (I had to renounce including the prefaces to Sesame
and Lilies, and the third lecture that Ruskin added later to
the two earlier ones.) I say all this to excuse myself for not
being able to profit further from Mssrs Cook and Wedderburn's
notes and also to express my admiration for this truly definitive
edition of Ruskin, which will be of such great interest to all
Ruskinians.