17 FEBRUARY 1996, Page 22

LETTERS Italia! oh Italia!

Sir: I am sorry that Petronella Wyatt finds that the Italian male does not come up to scratch (Furthermore, 10 February), but she doesn't cast her net very wide: the annual summer descent on Porto Ercole hardly counts as an adequate sample. And the Ital- ians don't necessarily open up their circle to the English squirearchy of Chiantishire. Men for men, the Italian male has out- scored his English counterpart throughout history: Machiavelli v. Burke? Leonardo v. Turner? Palladio v. Adam? Casanova v. — well who is your choice, Petronella?

And the Fenice will be rebuilt!

Carla Powell 1 Caroline Close, London W2