To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.

Ruskin argues that the pursuit of flawless finish can deaden the very qualities that make art (and by extension, human work) meaningful. “Imperfection” here is not mere sloppiness but the visible trace of a living maker—individual judgment, risk, and energy. If every irregularity is eliminated, expression is “destroyed” because nothing personal remains; exertion is “checked” because the worker is reduced to executing a predetermined ideal; and vitality is “paralyzed” because the work no longer bears signs of life, struggle, or growth. The statement aligns with Ruskin’s broader defense of handcraft and his suspicion of mechanized, standardized production that prizes polish over spirit.