3 FEBRUARY 1939, Page 21

WHAT IS A GENTLEMAN " ?

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—Is not a gentleman a gentle man? That is, a man who is a real man—what we mean when we say " manly " and " virile "—and at the same time " gentle "—not a bully. Some people—and some nations—use their strength to coerce. If we aspire to be a nation of gentlemen we must use our strength primarily to help.

" Gentle " originally meant " of good birth "; and this impli- cation still lingers in such phrases as " at least, he's a gentle- man." But this meaning is obsolescent.—Yours truly,