7 AUGUST 1920, Page 17

THE WINE-BIBBER'S APOLOGY..

[To. THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—In reply to your inquiry in your issue of the 31st ult. as to the author of the lines; "Pure water is the best of gifts," &e., I beg to say the author was the late Lord Neaves, a well-known and witty judge in the Court of Session at Edinburgh. I do not think the verse given by Mr. Waugh is quite correctly quoted, but you will find the whole clever and amusing skit in a little volume of Songs and Verses, by Lord Neaves, published in Edinburgh about the middle of last century. I have a copy of it in my library in Edinburgh.—I am, Sir, &c.,

Falls of Lora Hotel, Con nel Ferry. WALTER A. SMITH.