SCHOOLBOY SPELLING [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR, -I
shall always treasure Mr. Nelson's letter on spelling and accuracy. He asserts that script is " much too slow for use in everyday life."
I would remind him that the " time " of a letter is the time it takes to write plus the time it takes to read ; at least people possessed of imagination or courtesy agree about this.
Waiving this.maxim, however, to suit Mr. Nelson, I shall be pleased to race him, in writing from dictation, for any reason- able stake, my script against his cursive—if legibility is to count at all. The last duel of this kind which I fought with a cock-sure sceptic enriched a local charity by £5 ; not at my expense.
Mr. Nelson confesses that only by a miracle would English people stand such spelling as " enuf," and then says, " he can imagine nothing more intrinsically valueless than spelling
matches." Mr. Nelson doubtless knows best the limits of his imaginary powers ; but his adverb is a little unfortunate, until his miracle comes off. Would he engage a colleague who wrote that £200 a year would be " enuf sallery " ? Would you, Sir, jump at a would-be office boy who thus flaunted his freedom from the shackles of conventionality ? Would Mr. Nelson abolish the study of modern languages in view of the proved efficacy of signs and grimaces ? With his other arguments I cannot deal : they fall short of his professed ideal of " making his meaning clear."—I am, Sir,
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