Lord Warwick's friends had much better have left that sub-
scription for rebuilding the Castle alone. Great Peers cannot take presents of money without loss of dignity, and it is obvious from the correspondence published on Tuesday that the subscrip- tion would be a present, serving only to compensate Lord Warwick for not having insured his house. It is clear from the report of the architect that the ancient part of the Castle is uninjured, the rooms to be rebuilt and redecorated being the family rooms, and the " Chairman of the Warwick Castle Restoration Fund Com- mittee " warns the public that the subscription must not be con- sidered either " a reward for services performed or a bargain for advantages to be obtained." It is, in fact, a gift, not needed for the restoration of a national relic, and, without repeating Mr. Ruskin's brusque repudiation of any claim, we may be allowed to say that, with so many struggling people burnt out every day, Warwick Castle can wait.
Previous page
