Using the free‐electron model the triplet‐state lifetime of benzene for the 330 mμ band has been estimated to be about 36 sec, which compares favourably with the corrected experimental value of 30 sec. It has also been established that the perturbing singlet must be a π‐σ singlet rather than a π‐π singlet. Copyright © 1968 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.