18 OCTOBER 1957, Page 18

SIR, — qt is little use,' writes Mr. Anthony Hart le !: primly but

properly, 'coming to Rome unless Y°'', have a sense of history.' Alas, his own sense °.1f history is as naive as his reactions to the citY he imagines the Saracens never went farther towaru,' Rome than Ostia. Most fifth-formers should be al to tell him that the Saracen sack of Rome all r St. Peter's in the mid-ninth century was one °J the most far-reaching events in Italian history. 3.n, would be surprised at anyone presuming to writ:. about Rome who was unaware that it had eve' happened.—Yours faithfully, [Anthony Hartley writes: 'My reference tc" Saracens at Ostia was expressed in the form of a con, jecture, since I had no reference book by me an' obviously do not know as many fifth-formers 35/ Mr. Swan. I am not sure what a "naive sense 0. history" is, but a juvenile tone is always unrni.,tair able.'—Editor, Spectator.]