26 APRIL 1935, Page 18

ACCIDIE [To the Editor of TI1E SPECTATOR.] Sin,--No doubt this

word is rightly spelt by Dr. Selbie ; but I have never discovered why it should not be spelt accidia, and I should therefore be grateful for exact information. I should not worry you with this inquiry but for wishing to comment on Dr. Selbie's suggestion that the failing in question is confined to the young. I cannot imagine any contemporary of mine in his sixth decade being able to take the world seriously after seeing the general havoc that has been made of every belief and tradition that my generation were brought up to value. The world is obviously going down hill and any resistance to the temptation of accidie certainly cannot be either hopeful or strenuous.—Yours, &c., 9 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, W.C. 2. E. S. P. HAYNES.