5 JULY 1997, page 24

Sir: The Schlieffen Family Were Granted Danish Coats Of Arms

in 1444 and noble sta- tus in Poland in 1555. Three brothers were granted the rank of count in the kingdom of Prussia in 1812. Alfred (1833-1913) was a grandson of the youngest......

Critical Condition

Sir: Michael Coveney's new-found and self- appointed role as a defender of the honour of London drama critics (Letters, 28 June) will cause considerable hilarity among those of......

Faulty Logic

Sir: Alice von Schlieffen is a doughty fight- er, but her latest sortie (Letters, 28 June), asserting that the Schlieffen Plan cannot be considered a 'gambler's throw' because......

Champion Of The Opera

Sir: Charles Osborne is entitled to his views (Arts, 28 June), but does no favours to him- self or The Spectator by quoting hearsay about Mrs Duffield, chairman of the Royal......