19 JUNE 1886, Page 15

[To THE EDITOR OF THE SvccrAroa."1

Sta,—With reference to Mr. Harper's very interesting letter on "Melencolia" in the Spectator of June 12th, it is worth while, in justice to Thomson, to point out to your readers that the poet acknowledges his obligations to Dhrer's picture for his descrip- tion of "Melencolia" in two of the stanzas which contain it : —

"Words cannot picture her ; but all men know That solemn sketch the pure, sad artist wrought Three centuries and threescore years ago.

Thus has the artist copied her, and thus Surrounded to expound her form sublime, Her fate heroic and calamitous."