Ruskin has a very fine reputation, but this sentence strikes me as objectionable
smbbery.
"An ordinarily clever and
sensible seaman will be able to make his way ashore at most
ports; yet he has only to speak a sentence of any language to be
known for an illiterate person: so also the accent, or turn of
expression of a single sentence, will at once mark a scholar.
And this is so strongly felt, so conclusively admitted by
educated persons, that a false accent or a mistaken syllable is
enough, in the parliament of any civilized nation, to assign to a
man a certain degree of inferior standing forever."

Again, comments,please.