Madam, - "There are some passionate and amusing letters included in this volume but overall it feels like Puccini's much-quoted put-down on Wagner, some great moments but some terrible half-hours," writes Nicholas Grene in his evaluation of The Letters of Bernard Shaw to The Times(Book Reviews, July 21st).
I don't wish to sound pedantic but I believe the correct quotation is: "Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour."
I'm also assured that the remark was made not by Puccini, but by Rossini. - Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY, Dalkey, Co Dublin.