21 MAY 1977, Page 18

1984

Sir: In his Notebook (14 May), Richard West mentioned some ways in which Orwell's vision of 1984 has already been surpassed in 1977. A further pertinent example concerns the book itself. Orwell's opening sentence reads: 'It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen'. An Italian edition has been amended as follows: 'It was a bright told April day and the clocks are striking one'. Alex Finer The Vale of Health, London NW3