23 MARCH 1996, Page 28

Curtain lecture

Sir: 'Churchill . . . coined the phrase "Iron Curtain",' writes Bruce Anderson (`The new threat to civilisation', 9 March), refer- ring to Winston Churchill's speech at Ful- ton in 1946.

Deja vu! When on a previous occasion this mistaken attribution appeared in The Spectator, I mentioned in a letter, published 18/25 December 1993, that the expression was coined by the Russian writer Vasilii Rozanov (1856-1919). It is to be found on page 148 of the English translation, pub- lished in 1927, of his book Solitaria.

Irfon Roberts

Priory Wall House, 3 Cockshut Road, Lewes, East Sussex