MICHAEL Tumelty's resume of the life of Thomas Muir of Huntershill is a joy to read. At last space and thought are being given in Scotland to this man in the bicentenary year of his death.

That there will be disagreement with his resume is inevitable and understandable. What is beyond understanding is the disgraceful lack of any marking of this event in what we are told - endlessly - is the new Scotland; the change in history. This wilful ignoring of Muir in this year seems helluva like the old Scotland to me.

There is one item in Tumelty's piece that is slightly offbeat: ''It's amazing that Hollywood has not yet turned it into a widescreen epic''. Not for the want of trying. I think it would be in the 50s that George Singleton decided to push for it with Sam Goldwyn. I think that George would reach to filmgoers through various film societies, etc, for proof of backing for his idea and we all chipped in with letters, sources where facts could be confirmed.

George eventually reported back to us in a memorable way that he hadn't won because Goldwyn had told him, ''Can't be done, George. It's just too ridiculous; nobody would believe it''. Of course we were disappointed but all of Glasgow, filmgoers or not, laughed like anything at the very idea of something being turned down by Goldwyn as being too OTT.

I am looking forward to Friend of the People from Scottish Opera but would like to salute the effort of Don Martin of East Dunbartonshire Libraries who commissioned Stramash to mount an evening in three of the council's libraries. Compiled by Adam MacNaughtan it opened with the French Revolutionary song Ca Ira and included Adam's own Remember Thomas Muir of Huntershill and I personally thought that at the opening of the Scottish Parliament it should have had a similar start placing Scotland within a truly European setting and through song linking us to our longstanding role of international interest and support.

Janey Buchan,

72 Peel Street, Glasgow.

November 3.

THE splendid feature today on Thomas Muir written by Michael Tumelty deserves the praise of all who value liberty and democracy. Robert Maclennan, MP, must also receive due acclaim for his role in bringing the name of Muir some prominence.

Next to Wallace, there can surely be no greater hero and martyr in Scotland's history than Muir of Huntershill. The poignant lines written by his mother on learning of her famous son's death cast deserved opprobrium on a social system that was determined to destroy him.

Doomed from this mansion to a foreign

land;

To waste his days of gay and sprightly

youth,

And all for sowing with a liberal hand,

The seeds of that seditious libel - Truth!

Norrie Paton,

3 Kilkerran Park, Campbeltown.

November 3.

MICHAEL Tumelty could not be expected to remember or know about (too young, wrong discipline) a play which the late Kenneth Ireland presented at Pitlochry in 1962. It was called Muir of Huntershill, was directed by Toby Robertson, and written by

Ronald Mavor,

19 Falkland Street,

Glasgow.

November 3.