10 JULY 1941, Page 13

SIR,—The belief of Mr. Winser that Hebrew poetry does not

" scan " is correct, if that word is interpreted rigidly. But, though the Hebrew poets were not bound by a tonal, accentual, and syllabic arrangement such as characterises, e.g., an hexameter, they worked under rules of pulsating rhythm and symmetry, both in sound and thought-expression, which make their verse as delightful and emotion- stirring, both to ear and mind, as any of the familiar classical poetic modes. Hebrew poetry uses twenty different accents which indicate tonal stress, or distinction and parallelism of ideas, and by their aid the expert reader aloud can achieve a kind of melodic flow at least as beautiful as that of most other poetic forms.—Yours faithfully, 5A Gledhow Gardens, London, S.W. 5. H. MARTYN SANDERS.