16 AUGUST 1919, Page 16

MARK TWAIN AND BROWNING.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I quite admit the force of Mr. Husband's contention. Had I written with due precision, I should have used the description " altogether new " instead of "original." My letter was contributed rather with the idea of drawing atten- tion to the parallel than with the thought of challenging Mark Twain's "originality." Probably lie had never heard of the Johnson story.—I am, Sir, &e., W. BAYNE. Radernie, Fifeshire.