MARLBOROUGH HOUSE
S.W.I.

PRIVATE.

20th April 1937.

Dear Sir,

I write to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of April 19th together with the copy of "The
Royal Letter Book."

In reply I wish to thank you sincerely for
so kindly forwarding this volume for my acceptance.
I am very pleased to receive this copy of your work,
and will read it with interest.

Private Secretary to H.M.Queen Mary.

Herbert van Thal Esq.,

Messrs. The Cresset Press Limited,
11, Fitzroy Square, W.1.

UPTON CROSS
LONG SUTTON
LANGPORT, SOMERSET
LONG SUTTON 228.

25 February 1964

H.VAN THAL Esq.

Dear Sir,

I did make a suggestion to The TIMES about your "Not to worry" query - but they evidently had no space for such.

It occurred to me that the use of the Infinitive (with a negative) as an Imperative was common practice on the Continent. Train travellers, for example, are advised "NE PAS SE PENCHER AU DEHORS" and, although my knowledge of other languages is not sufficient for me to make any categorical statements, I believe the same construction is used in German, Dutch and Italian. But perhaps the answers already received have proved satisfactory !

Yours sincerely,
G. A. Clarkson

(Instructor Captain, Royal Navy, retired)