12 SEPTEMBER 1958, Page 7

I HAVE SEEN an account of modern British litera- ture

in the yearbook of the Soviet Encyclopmdia, which shows that the Russians are enthusiastic categorisers, in Mr. Allsop's vein. The main trend covered is the Lucky Dzhims—the novels of Kingsli Emis, Dzhon Ueyn, Ayris Myordok, Dzhon Morgan, the plays of Dzhon Osborn, the criticism of Kolin Uilson; and the 'poetic publica- tions of the Lucky Dzhims' in Robert Konkest's anthology Novye Stroki, by himself, K. Emis, D. Devi, T. Gan, E. Dzhennings, Dzh. Ueyn 'and others.' These works contained criticism of present-day bourgeois actuality which was sharp, bin in its essence abstract, anarchistic and dyed in the tone of individual rebellion.' Allowing for the queer Soviet way of looking at things this quite sympathetic remark does not strike me as any sillier than most criticism.