WITH the Burns Supper season comes the Burns disparagement season. Liz Lochhead might not have meant to seriously compare Rabbie to a Hollywood producer who has recently gained notoriety for seducing young females in the film capital ("Burns 'sex pest' row", The Herald, January 15), but she has provided opportunity for both the poet's and Burns Supper detractors. Perhaps Brian Beacom in his column ("Why I am tired of suffering from first degree Burns", The Herald, January 18) was also tongue-in-cheek in his comments. But when he derides the quality of speechifying at Burns Suppers I would wish to inform him that Burns is not always treated pettily on such occasions and I would think that scholarly and in-depth analyses of his poetry have been delivered often enough during this annual celebration. In my limited experience of proposing The Immortal Memory, the principal speech which offers scope for analysis of the poet's work, I tried to tackle this creatively and undertook the necessary research to do so. I knew of others who did likewise.

I can also testify to many impressive renderings in manner and apparel of Holy Willie's Prayer, the Address to the Haggis, and Toast to the Lasses. These were often spirited theatrical performances.

As for putting Burns and Shakespeare under the same microscope, they were different practitioners, different people, writing to different people, had different appeal.

But Tam o' Shanter is a classic nevertheless and can stand alongside the cleverest-spun tales from across the world.

Ian Johnstone,

84 Forman Drive, Peterhead.

“IT’S hardly in a body’s pow’r tae keep at times frae being sour” (Epistle to Davie, a Brother Poet, 1785 ) to see Brian Beacom joining the Liz Lochheads and Jeremy Paxmans in denigrating Robert Burns, a man honoured worldwide, part of the Scottish Enlightenment, with statues, memorials and busts, translated into most European languages, who was admired by Pitt the Younger, Wordsworth, Sir Walter Scott, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Carnegie, and with Burns Suppers held in embassies, hotels, church halls, and yes, Mr Beacom, in golf clubs across the world.

I will be privileged to enjoy the conviviality and well-researched speeches at my own club this weekend and expect to awaken uplifted and without a headache.

R Russell Smith,

96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.

I TAKE exception to Brian Beacom’s column.

I don't know of anyone who thinks Gerard Butler is a good actor.

Robert Aitken,

Kilpatrick Gardens, Glasgow.