“Good Mr. Fortune, A.R.A.,
Rejoiced in twenty sons,
But even there he failed, they say,
To get a likeness once.”
(G.R. Hamilton, from Lucillus)
John Lentell
October 15th, 1968
Month: May 2010
Sunday’s Piece
“The Art Gallery, which belongs to Bournemouth, is the most extraordinary shrine of absolute bad taste that exists in the whole of Great Britain. It should certainly be preserved intact.”
(Geoffrey Grigson broadcasting on the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, 1905 – 1985)
John Lentell
October 14th, 1968
Saturday’s Piece
“Mr. Gammons: “Do you realise that more gin might help the people of London to forget the labour Government?”
Minister of Food: “Much more gin would be necessary to make them forget the previous government.””
(Hansard)
John Lentell
October 13th, 1968
Friday’s Piece
“You must not miss Whitehall. At one end you will find a statue of one of our kings who was beheaded; at the other the monument of the man who did it. This is just an example of our attempts to be fair to everybody.”
(Sir Edward Appleton at a Stockholm luncheon, 1892 – 1965)
John Lentell
October 12th, 1968
Thursday’s Piece
If on November 11th we are, by chance, asked our opinions of the new flag – what alternative shall we have but to say that it is ‘up the pole’!
John Lentell
October 11th, 1968
(11th November was Rhodesian Independence Day to commemorate UDI, the Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the UK)
Wednesday’s Piece
I am told that our views are (flag) poles apart but by Mrs. Gadd, Sir, I do like her letters. (See Monday’s Rhodesia Herald – “perSmitive” society – the cattle are lewing – and all that!).
John Lentell
October 10th, 1968
PRINCIPLE VIOLATED ON NEW FLAG QUESTION
If Mr. Lardner.Burke is so sure that 99.9 per cent of the population will respect the new flag, why did he not put it to a referendum and remove all doubt? Or is it just possible that there is some substance to the rumour emanating from sources high in Government that orders were placed for this flag in readiness for November 11, even before the legislation had been drawn up?
It is easy to say no better suggestions were forthcoming – like suggestions on a new constitution – when the powers that be have already made up their minds that their own ideas shall prevail. While it was certainly the responsibility of civil servants to go into the matter of suitable designs for national approval, the right of choice was not theirs or that of a handful of Members, but the choice of those they serve.
Certainly we will respect the new flag – we haven’t much choice. Who would wish to pay fines or sit in solitary? But I would advise Mr John Newington, MP for Hillcrest, that scathing comments on members of the public at least his equal in intelligence, are not likely to enhance his image. Come the next elections and it is just possible that some voters will show him how ‘unctuous and sanctimonious’ they can be.
Quite apart from any personal feelings in the matter, I believe that on the question of the new flag a principle has been violated. Governments are elected to govern, but a distinction must be drawn between a dictatorial authority and government by popular consent and no intelligent electorate, valuing its rights and freedoms, would ever let any government forget it.
Certainly we will respect the new flag – we haven’t much choice. Who would wish to pay fines or sit in solitary? But I would advise Mr John Newington, MP for Hillcrest, that scathing comments on members of the public at least his equal in intelligence, are not likely to enhance his image. Come the next elections and it is just possible that some voters will show him how ‘unctuous and sanctimonious’ they can be.Quite apart from any personal feelings in the matter, I believe that on the question of the new flag a principle has been violated. Governments are elected to govern, but a distinction must be drawn between a dictatorial authority and government by popular consent and no intelligent electorate, valuing its rights and freedoms, would ever let any government forget it.
If the majority are now prepared to abrogate their rights and submit to what is now in essence a perSmithive authority, they must not complain when they find themselves in the position of Mr Ian Smith’s cattle who do not embarrass him by asking questions or expecting any answers. They will have brought it on themselves.
(Mrs.) B.C. GADD
Rhodesia Herald – letters page
Monday, 7th October, 1968
Tuesday’s Piece
“They copied all they could follow
But they couldn’t copy my mind,
And I left ’em sweating and stealing,
A year and half behind.”
(Rudyard Kipling, 1865 – 1936)
John Lentell
October 9th, 1968
Monday’s Piece
“My tYpust is io her vacutiuon,
My trpist’s away fo r a week,
My trupdt us in hwr vacarion,
Wgile thse damu kews ploy hudge and seek.”
John Lentell
October 8th, 1968
Sunday’s Piece
“A politician thinks of the next election, a statesman of the next generation.”
John Lentell
October 7th, 1968
Saturday’s Piece
“There are no hopeless situations, there are only men who have grown hopeless about them.”
(Clare Booth Luce, 1903 – 1987)
John Lentell
October 6th, 1968
Friday’s Piece
“Hat: something the average man covers his head with, the beggar passes around, the statesman throws into the ring, and the politician talks thru.”
(Viking)
John Lentell
October 5th, 1968
Thursday’s Piece
” ‘My country, right or wrong’ is like saying,
‘My mother, drunk or sober.’ ”
(G.K. Chesterton, 1874-1936)
John Lentell
October 3rd, 1968
Wednesday’s Piece
“There was an old man who said, ‘Hush!
I perceive a young bird in this bush!”
When they said, ‘Is it small?’
He replied, ‘Not at all!’
It is four times as big as the bush!'”
(Edward Lear, 1812-1888)
John Lentell
October 1st, 1968
Tuesday’s Piece
“The only means of strengthening one’s intellect is to make up one’s mind about nothing – to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. Not a select party.”
(John Keats, 1795-1821)
John Lentell
September 30th, 1968
Monday’s Piece
“Give me books, fruit, French wine and fine weather and a little music out of doors, played by somebody I do not know.”
(John Keats, 1795-1821)
John Lentell
September 29th, 1968
Sunday’s Piece
“There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse; as I have found in travelling in a stage-coach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position and be bruised in a new place.”
(Washington Irving, 1783-1859)
John Lentell
September 28th, 1968
Saturday’s Piece
“In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments – there are consequences.”
(Robert Ingersoll, 1833-1899)
John Lentell
September 27th, 1968
Friday’s Piece
“If you become a nun, dear
A friar I will be.
In any cell you run, dear,
Pray look behind for me.”
(James Leigh Hunt, 1784-1859)
John Lentell
September 26th, 1968
Thursday’s Piece
“Democracy is only an experiment in government, and it has the obvious disadvantage of merely counting votes instead of weighing them.”
(William Inge, 1860-1954)
John Lentell
September 25th, 1968
Wednesday’s Piece
“Economy is going without something you do want in case you should, some day, want something you probably don’t want.”
(Anthony Hope, 1863-1933)
John Lentell
September 24th, 1968
Lentell Soup 