John Ruskin’s letters to her, written after their betrothal, in the years 1847 and 1848, finally dispose of the suggestion (which Ruskin had encouraged) that he had never really loved his wife ...

The marriage, it seemed, had been arranged by Ruskin’s and the girl’s parents. According to Effie, on the wedding night Ruskin, who was 29, told his bride that sexual intercourse was ...