2 JANUARY 1904, Page 23

[To rim EDITOR OF TIER "SPECTATOR. "] SIR,—Touching Mr. R. Y.

Tyrrell's letter (Spectator, Decem- ber 26th, 1903) on your contributor's negligence, may I come to the rescue and lighten the offence by drawing upon Macaulay, " Samuel Johnson," Vol. IL, p. 390 (London : Long- mans and Co.) P—" No saying was oftener in his [Johnson's] mouth than that fine apophthegm of Bentley, that no man was ever written down but by himself."—I am, Sir, &c., HENRY V. BRETHERTON. Junior Reform Club, Liverpool.