16 MARCH 1962, Page 16

ECA DE QUEIROZ

SIR,—May I point out an unfortunate misstatement made by Miss Olivia Manning in her review of three novels under the heading Seducer in a Soutane in your issue of March 2, Miss Manning states that Eca de Queiros, the author of one of the novels she is reviewing, is not mentioned in Cassell's Encyclopaedia of Literature. This is not so. He is mentioned three times in the article on Portuguese Literature, where it is said that he 'acclimatised the realist novel in Portugal and [his] work is at once a brilliant portrayal and penetrating criticism of Portuguese society' and again 'In the novel no major figure has appeared since Eca de QueirOs.' Furthermore, in the major part of the Encyclopaedia devoted to biographical details he is on p. 1385 given a whole column.

DESNIOND FLOWER Chairman

Cassell and Company Ltd., Publishers, 35 Red Lion Square, WC1