13 JUNE 1958, Page 20

WEEKLY WIT

SIR,—'In the absence of audible protest,' begins Mr. Frank Kermode in what I myself feel bound to protest is an unfair and humourless review of England's on the Anvil, by John Raymond. Fortunately, as Mr. Kermode will agree, I don't have to have read the whole book : Mr. Kermode's review having appeared before its publication date. But I do enjoy Mr. Ray- mond's 'weekly wit,' and I should like to be allowed to say so—rather than see it damned before it is even on sale in the bookshops. Let me add that I don't agree with Mr. Raymond about many things; but I do wonder what he is going to be saying each Friday : not so much for my 'literary guidance' as for the sake of amusement. Mr. Kermode has never been guilty of amusing me.—Yours faithfully,

OLIVER BERNARD 9a Wilby Mews, London, W11

[We regret that this review appeared three days before the date of publication.—Editor, Spectator.]