Page:The works of John Ruskin (IA worksofjohnruski01rusk).pdf/12

vi ''some thirty volumes and pamphlets, which are either out of print or have been printed only for private circulation; many of them very scarce; some almost, if not quite, unobtainable. And still further, there is a large body of Ruskin's writing scattered in contributions to books by other authors, in magazines, in "Proceedings," in newspapers. Even a collector who had succeeded in acquiring all these publications would still miss many characteristic passages unless he possessed all the editions of all Ruskin's books. One of his best-known books affords a good instance of this fact. "Sesame and Lilies" in some editions includes two Lectures, in others three. To it Ruskin wrote at different times three entirely distinct prefaces. No edition of the book yet published contains within the same cover all the matter which at one time or another was issued under the title "Sesame and Lilies." Some idea of the voluminous and scattered character of Ruskin's printed words may he formed from the fact that the Bibliography issued in 1893 contained 777 items (exclusive of publications about Ruskin''). The total has since that time been considerably increased.

''In this edition all the matter by Ruskin is collected from various sources. It includes, that is to say, (1) all Ruskin's books now current in other editions, (2) a reissue of all publications by him now out of print or only privately circulated, (3) all his letters, articles, and other scattered writings, printed but not heretofore collected, and (4) a collation of all the different editions, thus bringing together within the pages of each book everything that he at any time published in it.''

''In a cheap edition of Ruskin's Works for popular sale, other methods might reasonably be pursued. In this edition, which is designed both as a record of Ruskin's entire literary activity and also in order to satisfy a large body of collectors, everything''