24 DECEMBER 1977, Page 17

Mr Heath's patience

Sir: I am sorry that Ferdinand Mount chose to spoil his otherwise droll articleSBallad of Reading General', 10 December) with criticism of Mr Heath's impatience. It is my experiencethat the only evidence of this is when he is confronted by fools.

The late Mao Tse-tung described Maurice Trowbridge, Mr Heath's former Press Officer (not Mr Heath himself, Mr Mount) as 'a very dangerous man'; but a less dangerous, more charming man I do not know.

Richard J. Sirnmonds, Woodlands Farm, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead, Berkshire