17 AUGUST 1985, page 20

Concern For Canada

Sir: I read Christopher Hitchens's article on Canada (3 August) with concern and sympathy. Canadians may be consoled by the reflection that theirs is not the first country to be......

Assumption

Sir: Until I read Mr Wilson's letter (10 August), 1 had always assumed that Ti- tian's masterpiece, the Assumption, in the Frari in Venice, had been painted some time before......

Sir: Stephen Robinson Makes Some Perceptive Points And...

interest- ing point of view in his article on South Africa (27 July). Unfortunately some of his supporting facts are wrong. Business Day did not argue that President Botha's......

Perry's Rival

Sir: I do not wish to detract in any way from the records of 'Sir' Peregrine Wors- thorne or Bernard Levin (Survivors, 27 July), but for the record I should point out that I was......

Sir: We, As Officers And Gentlemen Of The Royal Navy

(1943-1951), always knew what `naff meant (Diary, 10 August): Not available for f—ing — deeply ghastly, in other words. Now tell us about 'dike' and `plate'. James Mop - timer......

Fan Mail

Sir: Valerie Grove asks for the etymology of `naff' (Diary, 10 August). Partridge derives 'rid', by way of Cockney back slang (a word spelt backwards), from 'fan', fanny, n.......

Letters Colonialistic

Sir: I hereby request you to immediately suspend and cancel my subscription to the Spectator and reimburse me for the re- maining part of it. The reason? . . . I have been......

The Spectator

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! I would like to take out a subscription to The Spectator. I enclose my cheque for £ (Equivalent $ US& Eurocheques accepted) RATES: 12 Months 6 Months UK/Eire ❑......

Colin Welch Is On Holiday

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