His work was taken up by cultural commentators such as his friend John Ruskin, who saw it as a productive response to the crisis of the age (compare Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach").
Opera sa a fost preluată de comentatori culturali precum prietenul său John Ruskin, care a văzut-o ca pe un răspuns productiv la criza epocii (a se compara cu „Dover Beach” a lui Matthew Arnold).