that, but
it was a common practice to smuggle these editions, recommended by their
cheapness, into other countries. Mr. Wiley sent, on an average, five
hundred sets of "Modern Painters" to Europe every year, the greater
number to England. His example was followed by other American
publishers, so that in New York alone there came to be half a dozen
houses advertising Ruskin's works, and many more throughout the cities
of the States. Mr. Wiley, the first in the field, proposed to pay up a
royalty upon all the copies he had sold if Ruskin would recognise him as
accredited publisher in America. The offer of so large a sum would have
been tempting, had it not meant that Ruskin must condone what he had for
years denounced, and sanction what he strongly disapproved. The case
would have been different if proposals had been made to reproduce his
books in his own style, under competent supervision. This was done in
1890, when arrangements were made with Messrs. Charles E. Merrill & Co.,
of New York, to bring out the "Brantwood" edition of Ruskin, under the
editorship of Professor C.E. Norton.

Though the sale of Ruskin's books in America had never, until so
recently, brought him any profit, his own business in England, started
in 1871 with the monthly pamphlet of "Fors," and in 1872 with the volume
of "Sesame and Lilies," prospered singularly. Mr. George Allen, who,
while building up an independent connection, still remained the sole
publisher of Mr. Ruskin's works, said that the venture was successful
from its earliest years. It was found that the booksellers were not
indispensable, and that business could be done through the post as well
as over the counter. In spite of occasional difficulties, such as the
bringing out of works in parts, appearing irregularly or stopping
outright at the author's illnesses, there was a steady increase of
profit, rising in the author's later years (according to Mr. Allen) to
an average of L4,000.

Fortunate it was that this bold attempt succeeded. The L200,000 he
inherited from his parents had gone,--chiefly in gifts and in attempts
to do good. The interest he used to spend on himself; the capital he
gave away until it totally disappeared, except what is represented by
the house he lived in and its contents. The sale of his books was his
only income, and a great part of that went to pensioners to whom in the
days of his wealth he pledged himself, to relatives and friends,
discharged servants,