The first condition of education is being able to put someone to wholesome and meaningful work.
John Ruskin

The first duty of a state is to see that every child born therein shall be well housed, clothed, fed and educated till it attains years of discretion.
John Ruskin

The first duty of government is to see that people have food, fuel, and clothes. The second, that they have means of moral and intellectual education.
John Ruskin

The first test of a truly great man is his humility. By humility I don't mean doubt of his powers or hesitation in speaking his opinion, but merely an understanding of the relationship of what he can say and what he can do.
John Ruskin

The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world... to see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion all in one.
John Ruskin

The higher a man stands, the more the word vulgar becomes unintelligible to him.
John Ruskin

The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.
John Ruskin

The principle of all successful effort is to try to do not what is absolutely the best, but what is easily within our power, and suited for our temperament and condition.
John Ruskin

The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most.
John Ruskin

The sky is the part of creation in which nature has done for the sake of pleasing man.
John Ruskin

The strength and power of a country depends absolutely on the quantity of good men and women in it.
John Ruskin

The work of science is to substitute facts for appearances, and demonstrations for impressions.
John Ruskin

There are no such things as Flowers there are only gladdened Leaves.
John Ruskin

There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.
John Ruskin

There is never vulgarity in a whole truth, however commonplace. It may be unimportant or painful. It cannot be vulgar. Vulgarity is only in concealment of truth, or in affectation.
John Ruskin

There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
John Ruskin

There is no wealth but life.
John Ruskin

To give alms is nothing unless you give thought also.
John Ruskin

To know anything well involves a profound sensation of ignorance.
John Ruskin

To make your children capable of honesty is the beginning of education.
John Ruskin