STILL HOLDING THE BATON

Re Jack Miles’ “Endpaper” on the Anchor Bible Dictionary (Jan. 31):

In the spirit of Mark Twain, who admonished a newspaper in his day for prematurely reporting his demise, I would like to say that at the last report (and pay check), I was still a fully active professor at the University of California, San Diego, and hope to remain so for a while longer. The consignment to emeritus status is premature, and I hope it will stay that way, but the error is understandable because I have retired, as of Dec. 31, 1992, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where I taught for more than 21 years.

In addition, I would say that the torch is not yet passed, although the day is coming close. Perhaps a better comparison would be with passing the baton in a relay race. We (Gary Herion and I) are in the transition or passing zone, with both of us holding firmly on to the baton, while he accelerates and I prepare to leave the field.

DAVID NOEL FREEDMAN

LA JOLLA