2 JULY 1988, Page 23

Prince Aspers

Sir: I must admit to a small but apprecia- tive smile at Alastair Forbes' comments on me in his review of Brian Masters' book on John Aspinall (11 June). However, Masters is absolutely correct in describing my reac- tions to my accident as philosophical and that my admiration for Aspers was undimi- nished. Chippiness is worse than physical disfiguration.

Al's review is less of a review that a diatribe against Masters and particularly Aspinall. That's sad because he misses the grandeur, the lack of pettiness of Aspers that marks him out from most Englishmen today. Whatever his faults, irresponsibility Perhaps one of them, he is, in my book, a Prince among men.

R. M Birley

Birley's Sandwiches Ltd, 12/13 Royal Exchange, London EC3