14 DECEMBER 1912, Page 16

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIR, —The interesting statement of

the Earl of Cromer in your number of November 30th that there was "a total absence of any moral principle" in Disraeli reminds me of an anecdote about King Frederick the Great. During the Seven Years' War a colonel one day came to the King and denounced another colonel for lack of strict principles and even an occasional addiction to the bottle. The King listened, but said nothing. In the course of the next battle the unprin- cipled colonel led his regiment with great genius and his men performed marvels of bravery, while the regiment of the sober gentleman did not achieve anything like success. When on the next day the King met the moral colonel he galloped up to him and shouted, " Sauf' er auch !" (" Why don't you