5 JULY 1940, page 18

Fanny Burney

Stn,—Your reviewer says Macaulay did not explain how the style of the author of Evelina degenerated into "the worst ever known among men," or how, as a Court official, Miss......

In The Garden

The most beautiful of the mallows, Abutilon vitifolium, was cut down but not killed by frost. It is an aristocrat among wall-shrubs. The soft green leaves are vine-shaped, the......

Anniversary Of Waterloo

Sta,—I was surprised to see that Mr. Morgan in his article in last week's Spectator should make such an error as to write: "Sunday, June r6th, the day after the anniversary of......

Country Life

Idle Land Between the war of 1914 and that of 1940 the acreage of land lost to cultivation in this country was very great. Much of this loss is also irreparable ; gravel pits,......

An Indiscreet Soldier

Sta,—Under the above heading Mr. H. E. Bates tells us, in your last issue, how he allowed a private soldier for three minutes to indulge In "casual blabbing of highly important......

Hawk And Cuckoo

My recent note on the pursuit of the cuckoo by smaller birds has brought the usual explanation: that the adult cuckoo so much resembles the sparrow-hawk that small birds attack......

George Lansbury

stit,--It is hoped that in quieter times an authoritative life will be published of my father-in-law, the late George Lansbury. No date can be fixed for this, but if material is......

Prescription For Victory

SIR,—Apropos of " Strategicus's " comments on Marshal Petain's apology, it is worth recalling a story told by Julien Benda in Un Regulier dans le Siècle. Someone asked General......

Commissions From The Ranks Sta,—i Had The Misfortune To...

my education at a public school when the peace ballot, disarmament and the League of Nations were the dominant topics. Consequently 0.T.C.s were the exception rather than the......

Sit,—marshal Petain's Contention That One Of The Causes...

French disaster was "too few children" is literally true. On the eve of the Battle of France there were half a million less French soldiers under arms than at a corresponding......

Rural Defence In The More Remote Country Districts—and...

all—there seems little need for three separate defence services—i.e. A.R.P., the special constabulary and L.D.V., whose members are l argely drawn from what is virtually a......