"WAGES."
[TO THE EDITOB OF THE " SPECT ATOR."] SIR,—There appeared in the Spectator of April 26th a re- view of a story called " Wages," and as its author, I desire to express to my critic my sincere vexation at having made my meaning so unintelligible that he should have misconceived it. Far from being an aristocrat, I am a democrat in principle, and consider that idleness and luxury can only lead to effemi- nacy and degradation. It is to the middle-class that England owes, I believe, what power and glory she has. On the other hand, I confess to have noticed with regret that many of the richer of this class have adopted the "airs, graces, affectation, insincerity, and fastnesses" as their own which my critic justly condemns in those socially above them. However, in my desire to give Guy Beaufort's impressions impartially, so as not to show how far I myself considered them prejudices, I must have given too exclusively one side of the picture. I had supposed that my description of Anna Rockingham, who was essentially middle- class, would have shown my own bias sufficiently.
Finally, if what I have written should have given pain to any class, or any individuals of a class, I can only express my sincere
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