26 JANUARY 1991, Page 25

Firbank unfulfilled

Sir: In his review, 'In search of Ronald Firbank' (Books, 22/29 December). D. J. Taylor is wrong, I think, to claim for Firbank's novel Prancing Nigger that it is `set in Haiti', for two reasons. First, there is no evidence that Firbank ever travelled to the country (a postcard which he sent to Osbert Sitwell is adduced as the only proof: 'Tomorrow I go to Haiti. They say the President is a Perfect Dear!' — but then Firbank would often announce plans for travel which he never fulfilled); and second, the Cuna-Cuna of Prancing Nigger is in fact a thinly disguised Havana as the city appeared in 1936.

Ian Thomson

21 Gloucester Street, London SW1