or 'the Aintree course is
a trying one'--just that and nothing more.

Next, having trained yourself to keep a look-out for these worst
offenders (and you will be surprised to find how quickly you get into the
way of it), proceed to push your suspicions out among the whole cloudy
host of abstract terms. 'How excellent a thing is sleep,' sighed Sancho
Panza; 'it wraps a man round like a cloak'--an excellent example, by the
way, of how to say a thing concretely: a Jargoneer would have said that
'among the beneficent qualities of sleep its capacity for withdrawing the
human consciousness from the contemplation of immediate circumstances may
perhaps be accounted not the least remarkable.' How vile a thing--shall
we say?--is the abstract noun! It wraps a man's thoughts round like
cotton wool.

Here is a pretty little nest of specimens, found in "The Times" newspaper
by Messrs. H. W. and F. G. Fowler, authors of that capital little book
"The King's English":--

One of the most important reforms mentioned in the rescript is the
unification of the organisation of judicial institutions and the
guarantee for all the tribunals of the independence necessary for
securing to all classes of the community equality before the law.

I do not dwell on the cacophony; but, to convey a straightforward piece
of news, might not the Editor of "The Times" as well employ a man to
write:--

One of the most important reforms is that of the Courts, which need
a uniform system and to be made independent. In this way only can
men be assured that all are equal before the law.

I think he might.

A day or two ago the musical critic of the "Standard" wrote this:--

MR LAMOND IN BEETHOVEN

Mr Frederick Lamond, the Scottish pianist, as an interpreter of
Beethoven has few rivals. At his second recital of the composer's works
at Bechstein Hall on Saturday afternoon he again displayed a complete
sympathy and understanding of his material that extracted the very
essence of aesthetic and musical value from each selection he
undertook. The delightful intimacy of his playing and his unusual force
of individual expression are invaluable assets, which, allied to his
technical brilliancy, enable him to achieve an artistic triumph. The
two lengthy Variations in E flat major (Op. 35) and in D major, the
latter on the Turkish March from 'The Ruins of Athens,' when included
in the same pro