To the Editors:
The New Criterion’s misguided ideas about Patrick McCaughey, which appeared in “Notes & Com ments” for December 1989, are based on an inaccurately reported interview that Mr. McCaughey had with William Zimmer of The New York Times and that was published in the Times last October 8.

Mr. Zimmer’s interview contained many mis takes, and one glaring misquote, namely, “After Mr. Austin’s Directorate, the Wadsworth Atheneum fell into a decline.” Mr. McCaughey said no such thing. He has repeatedly and publicly acknowledged Mr. Cunningham’s, Mr. Elliot’s, and Mr. Atkinson’s achievements on many occasions. Before The New Criterion sounded off in such a manner, it might have been wise to call Mr. McCaughey for clarification, for it is well known that the Wadsworth Atheneum has never been “in decline” in the 147 years of its history.

The New Criterion’s attack on Mr. McCaughey’s and his curators’ decision to take the Mapplethorpe show—which was made long before the Corcoran controversy—and its implication that this decision was made for publicity reasons, is totally unfair. What Mr. McCaughey meant when he supposedly exclaimed “Bingo!” was that the publicity that had previously surrounded this show might make the general public more aware of the exhibition; that many of this public might come to the Atheneum to see the exhibition for themselves; and many who came would then remain in the museum and discover what a mar velous place it is. Furthermore, Mr. McCaughey’s judgments about the merits