21 OCTOBER 1960, Page 17

SIR,—'English is the subject by Which' true culture of the

feelings can be given : English is the true edu- cation of the life-flame.' In its context in David Hol- brook's article, 'this sentence was less vapid than it appears in isolation. But the context does nothing to make it less pretentious. On the contrary. And to one who is like Mr. Holbrook a teacher of English, the pretentiousness, not just of the phrase but of the attitude behind it, seems nothing short of megalomania. If this is what 'English' is, then I for one feel totally inadequate to teaching it, and I cannot envy any of my colleagues who don't. How much too big for our boots can we get?— Yours faithfully,

DONALD DAVIE

The Union Society, Cambridge