4 DECEMBER 1964, Page 13

SIR,—I have attended many Group Evenings and in my opinion

the standard of discussion at Jean Symons's evening, though high in quality and inter- est, did not differ in any radical way from that of many of the other discussions.

Obviously the quality of the poetry submitted to the test of textual criticism is going to affect the quality of the discussion it stimulates, but I think with regard to this particular evening Mr. Herder's judgment may have been swayed by his emotional attachment to Miss Symons's work.

ROSEMARY JOSEPH

47 Connaught Gardens. N10