These two volumes contain a collection of letters from Ruskin to his friends. They are arranged chronologically, the dividing line between the two volumes corresponding with a division in his life—namely, his acceptance of the Professorship of Fine Art at Oxford. Volume XXXVI. thus contains Letters written from his earliest years up to, and including, 1869; Volume XXXVII., Letters from 1870 to the end.

The mass of Letters which have been at the disposal of the editors is very great. Some explanation may be desirable of the principles which have guided the selection.

In the first place, a large number of Ruskin's Letters have previously appeared, and it was an essential condition of this Complete Edition to include them all. The letters, or extracts from letters, hitherto published are, however, of very varying interest. It has, therefore, seemed well to place in the main body of these two volumes (hereafter called the “Principal Collection”) only such as are of general interest; the remainder being printed in a “Bibliographical Appendix” at the end of Volume XXXVII.

The selection, from printed and hitherto unprinted sources, of letters for the Principal Collection has been governed by three factors. The first is biographical interest, and the endeavour has been made to leave no year, or important episode, in Ruskin's life or work—and no aspect of his character or interests, nor any of his principal friendships—without its illustrative letter. These volumes contain, therefore, an Autobiography of Ruskin as told in his Letters from his earliest childhood to extreme old age.