25 NOVEMBER 1972, Page 28

Naming names

Sir: Your reviewer makes an explicit point against Dr Leavis (Letters, November 11). May I, in good faith, be allowed a general criticism, a recommendation and a prophecy: Dr Leavis carries a very large chip of his own creation on a rather small shoulder of God's. If he would remove the chip, or allow it to be removed, his topheavy imbalance and convoluted complaining might give way to a creative criticism attractively expressed such as would earn him a modest place among the great English literary critics.

Even so he may never be forgiven his groaning adulation of the blood-choked writings of D. H. Lawrence. He has time still to repent.

Mark Hayman 13 Beaumont Street, London 'W1