In February, 1850, he broke off his work in the middle of it, and returned to London.

The rest of the year he spent in writing the first volume of "Stones of Venice," and in preparing the illustrations, together with "Examples of the Architecture of Venice," a portfolio of large lithographs and engravings in mezzotint and line, to accompany the work.

It was most fortunate for Ruskin that his drawings could be interpreted by such men as Armytage and Cousen, Cuff and Le Keux, Boys and Lupton, and not without advantage to them that their masterpieces should be preserved in his works, and praised as they deserved in his prefaces.

But these plates for "Stones of Venice" were in advance of the times.

The publisher thought them "caviare to the general," so Mr.J.J.Ruskin told his son; but gave it as his own belief that "some dealers in Ruskins and Turners in 1890 will get great prices for what at present will not sell." Early in 1850, his father, at his mother's desire, and with the help of W.H.Harrison, collected and printed his poems, with a number of pieces that still remained in MS., the author taking no part in this revival of bygones, which, for the sake of their associations, he was not anxious to recall--though his father still believed that he _might_ have been a poet, and _ought_ to have been one.