Page:The works of John Ruskin (IA worksofjohnruski01rusk).pdf/17

Rh ''readily understood. But the principal object of the editors has been, by cross references and otherwise, to explain Ruskin by himself. All matter added by the editors is distinguished throughout the edition by inclusion within square brackets'' [ ].

''In the last volume of the edition will be found a Bibliography, a Catalogue of the MSS., and a full Index to Ruskin's Works. An endeavour is made to render this latter a complete and exhaustive guide to subjects and names, and even to words by which a given passage may be identified. It is thus hoped that the Index may in some measure serve the purpose of a Concordance.''

February 8, 1903.

device on the title-page is an adaptation by Mr. W. H. Hooper of Ruskin's coat-of-arms, for a description of which see Præterita, ii. (ch, viii.), § 160. The mantling was designed by Ruskin, who once amused himself by surrounding the arms with a motto based on Turner's initials: "Justice, Mercy, With Truth." His drawing also introduced a rose. The motto chosen by his father was "Age quod agis." This was changed by Ruskin on his own seal to "To-day," "tacitly underlined to myself with the warning 'The night cometh, when no man can work.'" Mr. Hooper's design combines the coat-of-arms with the motto on the seal. The seal is repeated on the cover of each volume, and in the water-mark of the unbleached paper made for this edition. Another water-mark is Ruskin's monogram.