John accused him of quizzing, but he answered that he really thought them excellent." John said that it was the scenes which made the pictures; Mr.Liddell knew better, and spread the fame of them over the college.

Next morning "Lord Emlyn and Lord Ward called to look at the sketches," and when the undergraduates had dropped in one after another, the Dean himself, even the terrible Gaisford, sent for the portfolio, and returned it with august approval.
Liddell, afterwards Dean of Christ Church; Newton, afterwards Sir Charles, of the British Museum; Acland, afterwards Sir Henry, the Professor of Medicine, thus became John Ruskin's friends: the first disputing with him on the burning question of Raphael's art, but from the outset an admirer of "Modern Painters," and always an advocate of its author; the second differing from him on the claims of Greek archaeology, but nevertheless a close acquaintance through many long years; and the third for half a century the best of friends and counsellors.
The dons of his college he was less likely to attract.

Dr.Buckland, the famous geologist, and still more famous lecturer and talker, took notice of him and employed him in drawing diagrams for lectures.

The Rev.
Walter Brown, his college tutor, afterwards Rector of Wendlebury, won his good-will and remained his friend.

His private tutor, the Rev.
Osborne Gordon, was always regarded with affectionate respect.