9 JUNE 1894, Page 17

[TO THE EDITOR OP TEE "SPECTATOR."]

Sik,—Have the following—ill-favoured things, but mine own —interest for you or your readers ? I was taught some hymns before I could read them, with curious results in some cases. For instance, I was ignorant of the use of the word " round " as a noun; and used to wonder what sort of a thing the " trivial " was in the line—" The trivial round, the common task." Again, I remember a hymn, beginning "I have a Father in the Promised Land," the refrain of which ran some- times, "I'll away, I'll away, to the Promised Land;" and sometimes, "We'll away, we'll away," &c. Not understanding the elision, I had to put my own meaning to the sound, and this I did as far as I could, being perfectly content with "Wheel away, wheel away, to the Promised Land," for that seemed vaguely intelligible, covering all means of transport, from chariots of fire down to bicycles, though "Isle away, isle away," &c., was not, and much puzzled me.—I am, Sir, &c., W. 0.