22 OCTOBER 1910, Page 18

" THE FOUR REFORMERS." [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR. ") Srn,—When

reading through Stevenson's fables the other day for the twentieth time or so, I came to the conclusion that the one entitled " The Four Reformers " seemed to. embody the policy of the present Government very shortly and concisely. Perhaps I may be excused if I quote such a well-known piece of literature. Doubtless the intelligent reader will be able to give appropriate names, culled from

eminent politicians of the present day, to the four worthies concerned :--- " Four reformers met under a bramble bush. They were all agreed the world must be changed. We must abolish property,' said one.

We must abolish God,' said the second.

We must abolish marriage,' said the third.

wish we could abolish work,' said the fourth.

'Do not let us get beyond practical politics,' said the first. The first thing is to reduce men to a common level! The first thing,' said the second, 'is to give freedom to the sexes.'

'The first thing,' said the third, is to find out how to do it:.

The first step,' said the first, is to abolish the Bible.'

The first thing,' said the second, is to abolish the laws' `The first thing,'-said the third, is to abolish mankind.' "