CHAPTER I.
"TURNER AND THE ANCIENTS" (1842-1844) The neighbour, or the Oxonian friend, who climbed the steps of the Herne Hill house and called upon Mrs.Ruskin, in the autumn and winter of 1842, would learn that Mr.John was hard at work in his own study overhead.

Those were its windows, on the second-floor, looking out upon the front-garden; the big dormer-window above was his bedroom, from which he had his grand view of lowland, and far horizon, and unconfined sky, comparatively clear of London smoke.

In the study itself, screened from the road by russet foliage and thick evergreens, great things were going on.

But Mr.John could be interrupted, would come running lightly downstairs, with both hands out to greet the visitor; would show the pictures, eagerly demonstrating the beauties of the last new Turners, "Ehrenbreitstein" and "Lucerne," just acquired, and anticipating the sunset glories and mountain gloom of the "Goldau" and "Dazio Grande," which the great artist was "realizing" for him from sketches he had chosen at Queen Anne Street.

He was very busy--but never too busy to see his friends--writing a book.