17 OCTOBER 1896, Page 16

[TO TEE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]

SI 1,—Your article on the tranquillising effect of William Morris's verse, in the Spectator of 0..tober 10th, reminds me of the story of a young man living somewhere up the Edgware Road, or rather, dying there of consumption, who appealed to the Charity Organisation Society to procure him a copy of "The Earthly Paradise." He bad read it in the days when. he was strong and well, and now his soul went out in a pas- sionate longing to read the book once more. With that book to cheer his dying days he would be content. The story is told by Mr. W. T. Stead in his "Penny Poets" edition of "The Earthly Paradise."—I am, Sir, &c.,

Broonthill, Sheffield, October 13th. HENRY T. HOOPER.