Sir, - I am in substantial agreement with the views expressed by Kevin Myers (An Irishman's Diary, October 22nd). Francis Stuart may be an important, indispensable and inimitable writer; his prose may be incandescent at times; in his best novel, Pillar of Cloud, he may be an important witness to the reality of post-war Europe; but the State was wrong to honour the man for his literary achievements, as if the literary question automatically takes precedence over the moral one.
However, Myers himself illustrates perfectly the ease with which language can betray the prejudices of those who yield to its seductions. To characterise the hyprocisy of Stuart's apologists as "Jesuitically disingenuous" is both offensive and dangerous. The phrase marries conveniently two quite different notions in a manner which can only serve to intensify prejudice.
I take it that Mr Myers had no such intention. Is it too much to hope that he will withdraw the wretched cliche? - Yours, etc., John Devitt,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.