10 JANUARY 1943, Page 11

Snt,—In referring to the verses of Thomas Gray which Mr.

R. D. Perkins quoted in the House of Commons, " Janus" confesses he can find no trace of these lines. They are a translation from Luna Habitabilis. The Latin lines are as follows: Tempus erit, sursum totos contendere coetus Quo cernes longo excursu.

Dum stupet obtutu tacit° vetus incola, longeque Insolitas explores ayes, classemque volantem.

Anglia, quae pelagi famdujum torquer habenas, Exercetque frequens ventos, fugue imperat unclad.; Airis attollet fasces, veteresque triumphos Huc etiam feret, et vials dominabitur curls.

If " Janus " will turn to page 232 of my book Plague Year he will find that in December, 1940, I suggested these lines would make a good quotation for any Christmas card sent to the R.A.F.—Yours very truly,