20 SEPTEMBER 1997, Page 33

Point of view

Sir: A number of British and German politicians have admired the article com- mending the area around the middle of Lake Como. We laud Paul Johnson's lyric writing about the light, mountains and lake but we cannot find his painting position (And another thing, 13 September).

He looked one way to Bellagio and the opposite way to Cadenabbia. These towns face each other across the lake. Was the painter afloat?

Peter Bottomley

Villa la Collina, Lake Como, Italy

Paul Johnson writes: I confused the reader deliberately to conceal the exact location of my hostess's castello and the secret painter's tower.