1. Mr. Ruskin, after a few prefatory remarks, expressed the great pleasure which Dr. Acland had afforded him in giving him the opportunity of meeting so large an assemblage of working men and others on that occasion; but as he had only come down just to see how the building of the Museum was going on, he hoped they would not be so unjust as to expect from him an entertaining lecture, because he had had no time to prepare a subject, and did not like to speak in public without previous thought. He was only going to tell them what had been done in London, and he thought they would like to hear how their brother-workmen were going on there; and it must be borne in mind that what he might say would be the result of his own thoughts and experience, and must not be taken as the sentiments of his colleagues in the Working Men's College in London; because it so happened that the work he had to do left him very much to himself, and he could scarcely be acquainted, therefore, with the current of thought which directed their labours.

2. In the first place, he would tell them with what feelings he entered on his plan of tuition in the College at London. He saw that there was a great misapprehension pervading all classes as to the mode by which the life of the workman was to be mended.