20 DECEMBER 1935, Page 20

AN ETHIOPIAN GENTLEMAN

[To the Editor of Tint SPECTATOR.} Sin,--For many years I have been a regular reader of The Spectator. If I remember rightly, about thirty-five years ago one of the numbers contained a. review of A collection of the epigrams of Menander. Unfortunately, I made a note of one only of these epigrams and failed to record the date of. that particular number of The Spectator. The epigram follows : "II av eu 7:)opeus rij 0 et wilds 7-13.7z0d, Koiv AlOtoyti 27 icrriv eilyewis." " He who is naturally disposed to do the right and decent thing is a gentleman, even though he be an Ethiopian."

I am wondering if any of your readers can inform me where the quotation is to be found, and also giVe me a translation which is closer to the spirit of the original.

At any rate, in the minds of British West Indian Negroes the present Ethiopian Finperor seems to satisfy fully Menander's exacting requirements.—I am, Sir, faithfully yours;