UNPUBLISHED COLLECTION OF AUTOGRAPH LETTERS TO ADA HARTNELL RUSKIN (John, 1819-1900, Writer and Critic)

Remarkable collection of 17 newly discovered letters Autograph Letters Signed from Ruskin and 1 from Joanna Severn to Ada Hartnell of the Guild of St George casting light on Ruskin's tormented later years and his relationship with an intriguing female acquaintance, whom he clearly held in high esteem, but about whom little remains known. Ada Hartnell was one of the 32 original members of the Guild of St George, the utopian social organisation Ruskin established in 1878 on the model of the guilds of medieval Venice. She is mentioned by Ruskin in Fors Clavigera as one of a select group of guild companions 'in whose future adherence and support I have entire trust'. During the time these letters were written she lived first at 79 Falmouth Road, London, and later at 6 Brighton Villas, Northumberland Park, Tottenham. Ruskin's mental stability suffered badly during his seventeen-year relationship with Rose La Touche, who died in 1875. In February 1878 he experienced a total collapse, followed by several further attacks between 1881 and 1889, after which he 'gradually retreated into silence, saying little, and writing few letters', living in seclusion at Brantwood under the care of his relation Joanna Severn. The earlier letters in the collection suggest that Ruskin frequently visited Hartnell in London. His letters proposing to meet can strike an importunate note, and the type of assignation proposed is in one instance unexpected:
“Would you like to come to the Pantomime at Drury lane to-morrrow with me. You would have to meet me at my good old servant’s teashop, 29 Paddington St, Portland place - and I would take the greatest care of you and drive you home. Send me a line here...”. In letters evidently written in the aftermath of his crisis, Ruskin confides in Hartnell about the debilitating effects of his mental state, while demonstrating an urgent concern for Hartnell's own health and living arrangements, an intense dynamic encapsulated in one letter from Brantwood: “I have had several very bad sleepless nights myself, lately - but the mental gloom causes them - it is not the consequence of them. That darkness over the whole world becomes more and more definite to me as one of judgement, and every voice aboard is of the Night. I can only keep my strength by refusing to think – and going on with work that I still have pleasure in - and pleasing anybody I can innocently please. But I've been freed to write something serious just now - in which your letter helps me so much - you will have it in a week now. I am so very thankful your health is on the whole, better. But – would it not be better to run the risk of the first change and go into purer air and where you could get light? Shall I see if I can get better lodging for you near my museum at Sheffield - there's no smoke unless with strong southeast wind, and lovely country close by, being certainly as cheap as near London. Please think about this and write again...”. The later letters also contain much discussion of guild matters, with Ruskin musing on his own suitability to lead “until they find somebody better”, discussing the publication of Fors, indulging in a schoolmasterly harangue in which he dismisses Praeterita as “mere gossip”, and welcoming positive reports of a recent number of Proserpina. Joanna Severn finds frequent mention as someone evidently known to Hartnell and with an interest in her well-being. See attached transcript for further details.

Ruskin was one of the founders of a Guild of Companions attempting to found Utopia in England. They paid tithes and Sir Thomas Dyke Acland and Francis Cowper-Temple were the original trustees. In May 1871 the scheme was made public. ‘That food can only be got out of the ground and happiness out of honesty’ were the first two principles of the Guild of St. George, the third was that ‘the highest wisdom and the highest treasure need not be costly or exclusive’ (Prince Leopold's speech on Ruskin).
1. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “It is a sad day for our little plan, but if you will venture to come, I shall be able to show you a picture or two, in spite of fate...”, lacking the signature, 2/3 of 1 side 8vo., postmarked 1873
2. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I’ve not been forgetting you - but this London is a dreadful place - and writing a letter is not easy - however - in this case - pleasant to me. I’ve sent my little cousin, Mrs Severn to you, today to find you out at home or school, if possible, to make some little plan for all of us. If she doesn’t find you, write and tell me whether you would like to go to any of the theatres with us. There are really pretty thing at some of them...”, 1 side 8vo., no date.
3. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I’m so glad you can come, though I fear you will be dreadfully shocked, and perhaps rather sorrowstruck than amused. But you ought to see it. I will come for you myself – at ½ past six, please, be ready for me …”, 1 side 8vo., no place.
4. To ‘My dear Madam’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I hope you will pardon my disobedience to you in not destroying your most interesting and pathetic letter. It is very safe in my private drawers. I want to come and see you. Would you allow me to do so some day after the 14^th, when I am coming to town. At any rate, let me know how you are and do not doubt any more the sincere respect with which any words you like to write to me will be received …”, 1 side 8vo., Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 7^th December 1873.
5. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I have your most kind note with enclosed five pounds, for which I am more grateful than any gift yet. It is sure to bring me good Fors and For gifts next year I want so much to see you again …” with a postscript “Hands dreadfully cold!”, 1 side 8vo., Brantwood Coniston headed paper, 3^rd December 1874.
6. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I am so very thankful to have a letter from you – though you wouldn’t believe it perhaps – unless you knew that I usually told the truth – seeing how I have failed in every duty of care and courtesy these last two years. Nor can I tell you – today – if ever – how entirely precious this particular letter is to me. Partly I shall be able to show you before the month’s out, I hope – but chiefly, in what it says – so perfectly and simply – of the recovery of your peace of mind – because my own has been so heavily – I do not say ‘shaken’ – but clouded since my illness – and not one soul in ten thousand ever speaks with one word of sympathy to me of the horrors of being the highest of the orders of live. Inconceivable – such a thought – except by an insolence and selfishness which we cannot appeal to and fears to judge. May I hope that your actual health is not gravely depressed by sedentary life – and then sad economies? …” with a postscript “I’m so thankful for all that about …[?]”, 3 sides 8vo., Brantwood headed paper, no date.
7. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I am most grateful for all your letters – but chiefly for the account of yourself – which recalls me to the too long neglected duty of urging you to a change of house. I must consult with Joanne about it (and she’s at church and the post going out) but I can’t have you living in that cross between a cellar and a well …”, 1 side 8vo., Brantwood headed paper, no date.
8. To ‘Dear Ada’ signed ‘J.R.’, “So many thanks. I’ll do what I can …”, 1 side 8vo., 84 Woodstock Road, Oxford, ‘for seven weeks’, no date.
9. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I have had several very bad sleepless nights myself, lately - but the mental gloom causes them - it is not the consequence of them. That darkness over the whole world becomes more and more definite to me as one of judgement, and every voice aboard is of the Night. I can only keep my strength by refusing to think – and going on with work that I still have pleasure in - and pleasing anybody I can innocently please. But I've been freed to write something serious just now - in which your letter helps me so much - you will have it in a week now. I am so very thankful your health is on the whole, better. But – would it not be better to run the risk of the first change and go into purer air and where you could get light? Shall I see if I can get a little lodging for you near my museum at Sheffield - there's no smoke unless with strong southeast wind, and lovely country close by, being certainly as cheap as near London. Please think about this and write again …”, 3 sides 8vo., Brantwood headed paper, no date.
10. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I hope you know me now enough to feel sure I am grateful for your letter, and that much as I have neglected you – it is quite one of the saddest remorses [sic] to me to have done so – I am most thankful to hear you are a little stronger – and should be again and again glad if you would let me know anything of book or aught else that I could get for you to give you pleasure – But this is all I can write today. Your most interesting letter will be read … when I am at it again – it is full of value for me. Mrs Severn who is here, sends kindest memories. I only wish to do that I may put off no longer, but this is nothing of what I would say, except that I am always affectionately yours …”, 2 sides 8vo., with original autograph envelope, Brantwood headed paper, 6^th August 1879.
11. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I am so very, very glad you are better – I have often been thinking of my promise but found nothing in my … work – but really there is nothing I am now more determined on doing than on making you as happy as I can in any way I can & that directly. I’ll think what is nicest for you all day at spare times to-day. Meantime do you tell me, frankly, what you can think of to make you as happy as you can be, in employment – a place of living. I should like you to be by the seaside in some softly climated part of England – would not you like that better than were you are? …”, 2 sides 8vo., Keswick and instructing her to reply to Brantwood, 1^st September no year.
12. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I am very thankful to hear of your better health, and sincerely trust you may be no more be threatened by the more painful form of bronchitis. I scarcely like receiving your money – (though perhaps it will be all we get, the most approved by our heavenly Master) – but I wish it could procure more enjoyment for your own life. I hope my own health is fairly re-established to a point which will enable me to serve the Guild till they can find somebody better. It much pleases me that you have heard good report of the new numbers of Proserpina. I have ordered it to be sent to you thinking it may suggest some interest to you that will make spring days a little brighter. Your poor landlady is …Fors in thinking she grudges her a holiday! & insists upon her cooking when she is tired. It is only the Mis Fors of the dark world that does that …” with a postscript “Mrs Severn’s love – she will write tomorrow or next day. I wish I could write more but am bound, not – to keep to overdue work – or my books …”, 3 sides 8vo., Brantwood headed paper, 10^th January 1879
13. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “Would you like to come to the Pantomime at Drury Land tomorrow with me. You would have to meet me at my good old Servant’s tea shop, 29 Paddington St, Portland place – and I would take the greatest care of you thence and drive you home. Send me a. line here. My cousin enjoyed her visit so yesterday …”, 1 side 8vo., no place, no date.
14. To ‘My dear Ada’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I’m going to try to get just a glimpse of you as I come out from town this afternoon – about ½ past six it will be, I think – but can you just send down word if you could see me then? …”, 1 side 8vo., no place, 3^rd March 1880.
15. To ‘My dear Ada’ signed ‘J. Ruskin’, “I have your most sweet letter, with enclosed £5. I think my best thanks will – or may be – in giving you the trouble of looking over the enclosed leaves of … report. I’m not please with them – m y head is confused with the quantity I want to say and the difficulty of saying any part of it clearly enough, and I’m only fit to write about natural history just now – for I’m both despondent and angry – and can’t write easily & frankly therefore. The enclosed letter about our Museum may interest you – I shall dwell on that more than anything else in next Fors. ‘Reginald’ is the writers brother, a nice clergyman 8 miles from Sheffield – where I propose new site of College-Museum – with a sort of non-active Hospitable village round – a well preserved British camp …”, 2 sides 8vo., with original autograph envelope, Brantwood headed paper, 23^rd January 1881.
16. To ‘Dear Miss Hartnell’ signed ‘John Ruskin’, “I am most grateful for your letter – but must undeceive you about my being ‘well’ again. A man does not recover from nearly mortal trance in a couple of months. All my strength is just enough for what unexciting work I can get done, and all letter writing or reading is forbidden – I break laws for you, first to tell you you need never try to deal with pupils of Mill – They are always good for nothing. The sort of fool who will not read books – yet goes on abusing them without reading! Of course she may read Praeterita – anybody can do that. But – I forbid you to send her more. It is cheap enough – let her buy it – or want it! (Why should you forgive torn covers?). The broom story is nice and the pinafore gifts – also Isaac – and it is above all nice that you are well. Mrs Severn will tell you of pinafore distribution I doubt not. I hope my strength is gradually increasing – but it would not unless by much precautions and cares and mortifications as I should be grieved if you could imagine …”, 3 sides 8vo., Brantwood headed paper, 19^th December no year.
17. To ‘My dear Ada’ signed ‘J.R.’, “I’m dreadfully sorry about your neuralgia – I think Mrs Severn can tell you of the glass ice, or ice glass, or the like, which they say is healing. I’ll make her put it into this envelope. Ask me whatever you like about … I am only too glad to know what I have left undefined, as I want to complete Fors in what I write further – if I am spared to fill in and explain it, it will be twice as useful …” with a postscript, 2 sides 8vo., Brantwood headed paper, 21^st April, no year.
18. Letter from Joan Ruskin Severn to ‘My dear Miss Hartnell’, “Ever Since Xmas when your sweet remembrance came, I have longed to write to you and express thanks & all best hopes for your health & happiness in the New Year - & I do so now, tho’ so late - & am glad now, to be better able than then to tell you that after many months of anxiety about the poor master he is at last showing signs of betterness for which I am infinitely thankful …”, 2 sides 8vo., with original autograph envelope, Brantwood headed paper, 12^th February 1890.
19. Six Autograph envelopes address to Miss Hartnell at 69 Falmouth Road, New Kent Road, London S.E. one not postally used the others postmarked Oxford, 20.10.73, Geneva 19.10.74, Ambleside 31.12.74, Windermere 10.7.75 and Ambleside 23.1.80.

Item Date:  1885

Stock No:  41815      £27500

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