7 NOVEMBER 1931, Page 15

THE "SPECTATOR" AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE [To the Editor of

the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—It is a shock to find from your note to Mr. E. C. Owen's letter that you accept with pride the description " protagonist of Free Trade." May I submit that such a use of the word protagonist is an abominable piece of bad English ? See Fowler's Modern English Usage on that word.—I am, Sir, &c., F. MACDERMOT. 6 Square du Bois de Boulogne, Paris, XVI.

[None the less we are still pleased to be called the prot- agonist, or principal performer, in the fiscal controversy.— ED. Spectator.]