14 AUGUST 1936, Page 20

THE DEATH OF THE SOUL

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] beg to call your attention to the enclosed cutting from last week's The Spectator.

It cries out in challenge to our. Faith. Is it possible that this is the way our young people are to be interested in literature or novel reading ? Do we realise that it is the path to the death of the soul ?—a real crime in itself to publish books such as these, much more to bring them to the notice of tha general public as ordinary reading.—Yours Searles, Fletching, Sussex.

[The cutting in question consists of a review of a batch of detective stories.—En. The Spectator.]