4 JULY 1981, page 23

Hidden Gold

Paul Atterbury Orpen: Mirror to an Age Bruce Arnold (Jonathan Cape pp. 294, £16) Since the early years of this century it has been the practice to regard English painting as the......

Overfrocked Priest

A.N. Wilson The Company of Women Mary Gordon (Jonathan Cape pp.291, £6.50) Most books' are so boring that I raise my glass to anyone who can write a novel which it is impossible......