UNDESIRED CORRESPONDENTS.
Pro THZ EDITOR OF THZ "SPECTATOR." J
Sin,—Dr. Thomas Hodgkin complains of "the nuisance caused to many inoffensive citizens by the intrusion of undesired corre- spondents," which, he writes, "is becoming almost intoler- able" (Spectator, October 26th). I fear I must very often be numbered amongst the "undesirables," not because I offer to inoffensive citizens advice as to bow to make money (which is Dr. Hodgkin's complaint against those who assail him), but because I now and then try to point out to them a desirable way of spending it.. May I try to make Dr. Hodgkin's burden less intolerable by reminding him that he can derive some satisfaction from the thought that every penny spent in the postages of these letters pro tanto reduces his general taxation ? May I also tell him that it is a far greater nuisance to the special class of undesirable to which I unfortunately belong to have to write and send out these letters than it can possibly be to the inoffensive citizen to throw them into the waste-paper basket, and earn the gratitude of his housemaid ?
P.S.—I fear I must still follow the advice of the lady who, in reply to one of these undesired letters, wrote to me: "Prey [sic] without ceasing."
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