. Ruskin's words--particularly words written in
further unfolding of the subtleties of Turner's art--at all times appeal
so strongly.

In his own preface Mr. Ruskin has told us all that in 1856 it was
necessary to know of the genesis of the _Harbors_. That account may now
be supplemented with the following additional facts. In 1826 Turner (in
conjunction with Lupton, the engraver) projected and commenced a serial
publication entitled _The Ports of England_. But both artist and
engraver lacked the opportunity required to carry the undertaking to a
successful conclusion, and three numbers only were completed. Each of
these contained two engravings. Part I., introducing _Scarborough_ and
_Whitby_, duly appeared in 1826; Part II., with _Dover_ and _Ramsgate_,
in 1827; and in 1828 Part III., containing _Sheerness_ and
_Portsmouth_, closed the series.[A] Twenty-eight years afterwards (that
is, in 1856, five years after Turner's death) these six plates, together
with six new ones, were published by Messrs. E. Gambart & Co., at whose
invitation Mr. Ruskin consented to write the essay on Turner's marine
painting which accompanied them. The book, a handsome folio, appears to
have been immediately successful, for in the following year a second
edition was called for. This was a precise reprint of the 1856 edition;
but, unhappily, the delicate plates already began to exhibit signs of
wear. The copyright (which had not been retained by Mr. Ruskin, but
remained the property of Messrs. E. Gambart & Co.) then passed to
Messrs. Day & Son, who, after producing the third edition of 1859, in
turn disposed of it to Mr. T. J. Allman. Allman issued a fourth edition
in 1872, and then parted with his rights to Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co.,
who in 1877 brought out the fifth, and, until now, last edition. Since
that date the work has been out of print, and has remained practically
inaccessible to the ordinary reader.

[A] To ornament the covers of these parts, Turner designed a
vignette, which was printed upon the center of the front wrapper of
each. As _The Ports of England_ is an exceptionally scarce book, and
as the vignette can be obtained in no other form, a facsimile of it
is here given. The original drawing was presented by Mr. Ruskin to
the Fitz-William Museum, at Cambridge, where it may now be seen.

It is matter for congratulation that at length means have been found to
bring _The Harbors of England_ once more in