Letter: Listen to the passion, the spelling will come

HERE is an example of a child's 'ill-formed print, no capitals, awful spelling, etc', for Lynne Reid Banks to add to her collection (Letters, 23 January). It was written by an eight-and- a-half year old.

'Aprall 17: I started from bath wis the imprecherin that I was going to skoull at Paris but to my dismay my forbiding Muther gave me the overwelming neus that she had changed her mind, not withstanding wot an oful time I had had the hoping coof had not left me yeat. Sometimes I got quiet ouetraged wis mamma for not leting me ouet of dors and perteceurly wen she sead that I was not to go to se Roben Houdin wich I had ben expecting to go to for about a weke, but I must not only tork about the ruefs but on the contrery must anonce some of the smus, now for instance I went to the jardin des plent wis wich I was delited and wich I hope to go agan for even wis that I was not quiet contented for I did not se the serpents.'

This journal entry for 1855 was written by Charles Prestwich Scott, destined to become the youngest, and most brilliant, editor in the annals of the

Manchester Guardian. So, speaking as an ex-teacher, my message to those still battling away out there is, listen to and encourage the passion, and let the punctuation etc, take the hindmost.

Marian Kamlish

London NW1