3 JUNE 1989, Page 24

Sir: Is anyone else irked by the constant contrast of

the vigour, certainty and spir- ituality of Islam with the muddled, compla- cent materialism of the West in any article on the Rushdie business? Let us be more positive and refer to decency, tolerance, humanity, generosity of spirit in the West. These are often vague terms, I know, but there is no need to lose sight of them completely.

David Mills

115 Gloucester Place, London W1

'It's Meryl Streep's latest'.