20 AUGUST 1921, Page 15

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] venture to add

to the examples given by your corre- spondent. The word ingens is Virgirs maid-of-all-work. Matthew Arnold was fond of " moderato " and " waste." Wordsworth so often repeated himself that it is difficult to select his favourites. Perhaps the palm may bo awarded to " universal," " pensive," and " mutual." Whatever Oscar Wilde disliked was " tedious "; what he admired was " per- fectly amazing." Francis Thompson could seldom avoid " devisal," "sanctuary," and "dedicate." It seems obvious that a word to which a writer constantly reverts must be, in some degree, the index of his thought.—I am, Sir, &c., E. J. BoLus. Junior Constitutional Club, Piccadilly, 117.1.