8 FEBRUARY 1975, Page 5

Vassall

Sir: Like other reviewers, Alan Brien finds it difficult to see Vassal! as 'a book meant to be read seriously.' Are not all difficulties solved by the hypothesis that it is a cryptogram? At this very moment, the Russians are no doubt extracting invaluable information about the British penal system from what appears on the surface to be 'irrelevant facts, pointless

comments, obvious judgements.' .

J. C. Maxwell

Balliol College, Oxford