19 JANUARY 1968, Page 27

Echo de Paris

Sir: We are sorry if our criticisms of his article (Letters, 5 January) should have upset poor Mr Heppenstall, who dismisses them in his letter (12

January) as 'childish rudeness.' It is reassuring to learn what he failed to make etea-r before, that he knew about the multiple origins of Charlus, and what he meant concerning the bibliography in Anatole France, but it is still puzzling why he objects to an English reader being referred to a French work. Perhaps he would also confirm that his remarks about Mr Tylden-Wright's farming activities in the same review (29 December) were not intended to be so rude as they seemed.