Sir, - Arminta Wallace, in her article "Pas encore Provence" (Arts, August 19th), states that Peter Mayle's book A Year in Provence is the mother of all books describing living in a foreign country. She is incorrect in this assumption as Winifred Fortescue wrote a number of books in the 1930s and 1940s on living in Provence under such titles as Perfume from Provence, which sold in excess of 24,500 copies, and Tram- pled Lilies, published in 1941. Her style and observations are almost identical to those of Peter Mayle. The praise for being the mother of this type of book should be given to Winifred Fortescue and not Peter Mayle. - Yours, etc.,
George H. Stacpoole, Adare, Co Limerick.