4 MARCH 1911, Page 16

AN HISTORICAL PARALLEL

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.")

SIR,—Your correspondent "X," who gives "an historic parallel" in your last week's issue, is familiar, no doubt, with the tag about citing scripture to a purpose. I, also, can quote from Dryde:a's "Absalom and Achitophel " some lines which appear -to me to be "singularly descriptive of the present position of the House of Lords ":—

" And nobler is a limited command,

Given by the love of all your native land, Than a successive title long and dark,

Drawn from the mouldy rolls of Noah's Ark."