21 FEBRUARY 1970, Page 25

Disturbed but not put out

Sir: Mr P. J. Barnwell, in his letter in your issue of 14 February, says, 'Is not your re- viewer Carola Oman rather hard on Countess Bertrand when she dubs her "this silly Creole"?' The person who was perhaps a little hard on her was Madame de La Tour du Pin. 'My sister was in those days' (Sep- tember 1808) 'extremely frivolous, a Creole quality she shared with her mother.' (Memoirs of Madame de La Tour du Pin p. 378).

She was a perfect nuisance to the captain of HMS 'Bellerophon,"Madam, you talk like a very foolish woman.' However, on quitting the ship she insisted on a friendly handshake. Carola Oman Bride Hall, Welwyn, Herts