27 AUGUST 1910, Page 19

THE WORD "CABAL."

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]

Sr,—Your correspondent "W. E. K.," in the Spectator of August 20th, is himself mistaken in saying that the word ." Cabal" is French. It is Arabic; the triliteral verbal root KBL, "to agree" or "to accept." The word probably did pass through French into English, and certainly was not formed from the initials of Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale, as the Pinnock's History of early Victorian schools alleged ; but " Cabal" in the sense of" con- spiracy" is undoubtedly the Arabic verbal root I have

quoted.—I am, Sir, &c., Bowan]) STANLEY Rosen-no-N.-

(late Bengal Civil Service). University Club, Dublin.