29 OCTOBER 1948, Page 16

THE NATIONAL TRUST

SIR,—Whilst the National Trust is extremely grateful to you for the valuable space which you gave up in The Spectator of October 15th to a review of National Trust Guide: Buildings, by James Lees-Milne, there are two matters which I should like to bring to the attention of the writer of this review. (a) Many of the houses which he says are closed are now open. The fact that the book says that they are closed is, of course, due to the face that publications of this nature take so long to produce today, and there is bound to be inaccurate information by the time they are finally published. In this case it has taken two years to get into print. (b) The reviewer has, I think, overlooked the fact that Mr. Lees-Milne's guide is only intended to be a potted affair, and that each house has its own full guidebook. At the same time, members of the Trust also have in their possession a full list of properties.—Yours

very truly, L. G. G. RAMSEY, Public Relations Officer,

42 Queen Anne's Gate, S.W.I. The National Trust.