5 JUNE 1993, Page 27

Non excusat

Sir: According to Matthew Parris, Agnosco — I do not know — has ceased to be an answer we dare offer to questions of poli- tics or morality' (Politics, 24 April). I don't see why. My small Latin, less Greek and English of Stratford atte Bowe tell me that agnosco in fact means 'I know well.' 'Agnostic', the word that has confused Mr Parris, was coined only in 1869 by Professor Huxley, to mean one who believes that what is not material is unknown and proba- bly unknowable; but the 'a' in 'agnostic' is the Greek privative meaning 'un-', the 'a' in `agnosco' comes from Latin 'ad-' meaning, in this context, 'closely' or 'completely'. Mr Parris means ignoro, as in ignoramus.

J.S. Hart

37 Firecrest Road, Chelmsford, Essex