24 OCTOBER 1992, Page 29

Knight in error

Sir: Another interpretation of the Mrs Simpson aide memoire incident (`The uncivilised society', 3 October) is that she left it behind intentionally, in the belief that its publication would, as Harold Nicolson says, reflect greatly to her credit. She did, after all, reproduce the notes in her mem- oirs.

How tiresome it must have been for her to fool herself on the receiving end of Harold Nicolson's knight-errantry. Rather like the old lady taken across the road by William Brown although she had no wish to cross.

John Spencer-Silver

80 Tyneham Road, London SW11