2 MAY 1941, Page 15

Stn,—Christ Church was at the turn of the century a

large and self- contained college, in the sense that its members did not feel the same necessity for outside contacts as was the case with smaller and less happily situated colleges. The attitude of " House " men was not due to snobbish exclusiveness, but to the reason I have stated; but it is only fair to your reviewer to admit that the attitude was not always appre- ciated outside the college. I think very possibly Lord Halifax's interests outside college were greater than those of many of his contemporaries at the " House," but of this I cannot speak with certainty.

What I can and do say is that, so far from being in any sense exclusive, he was within the college the one man who was in contact with all classes of our society : the Bullingdon men, the reading men, the rowing men, the players of ball-games, the Dons and the servants. No decision of importance affecting undergraduates would ever be taken without reference to Edward Wood. I think the picture of him as an undergraduate drawn by Mr. Ensor would be generally con- sidered by those with knowledge of Edward Wood at Christ Church both unkind and unfair.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

Ex AEDE CHRISTI.