5 NOVEMBER 1965, Page 15

Synthetic Young Gentlemen SIR, —By transcribing the word 'pederast' into its

ancient Greek equivalent John Davenport shows impressive learning and gratifying delicacy. Enforced study of Alexandrian scholarship, however, has made Me Pedant enough to regret that he has forgotten that mItSepzo-rls has an acute accent on the final sYllable.

[Mr. Davenport did not forget the accent, but it defeated the printers.—Editor. Spectator.]