13 OCTOBER 1979, Page 17

Borges and the young

Sir: Francis King is obviously very sensitive. First, because Borges did not hang on to his words, and second because some Argentine schoolgirls rejected Borges. In my last letter I dealt with the first sensitivity —though I might add that I prefer to rely on Borges's assessment of his deafness than on Mr King's. And second, experience should blunt any excessive sensitivity to hearing Borges dismissed by the Argentine young; he has not been on the side of the authoritarian forces, which angers the Left and the Peronists; the nationalists reject him because they think he is'European'.

Michael /yens 40, Doughty Street, London wci