Hurray, commentary backstory

"'The Light Princess' is hysterical. Although I disagree about Adela Cathcart, and just read a lovely cloth-bound reprint. If you want some really tedious sermons, by the way, I suggest looking up Lancelot Andrews, or the novels of John Newman--both widely read in their day. MacDonald is actually quite lively for 1864."

"About the swimming scenes--there's a fun bit of backstory behind that. John Ruskin read 'The Light Princess' in manuscript, and sent MacDonald a lengthy critique in which he suggested that the swimming scenes were too improper and would be damaging to children. (This from a childless and possibly impotent bachelor to a man with eleven children, but never mind.) MacDonald, however, published the story unaltered, but gave all of Ruskin's objections to Mrs. Cathcart, the grim voice of prudery and all things superificial--Adela's aunt, and the ostensible evil witch of the story. Ruskin promptly wrote a hilarious letter in mock-fury, accusing MacDonald of inventing 'all wrongs to choke up my poor little right with.' But in this case, MacDonald was right and Ruskin wrong, I'd say. "

--from 11. mrpond47 ~ Slipping a fairy tale into the mundane...