Tuesday’s Piece

“I had noticed ……. how carefully Sir Edward Grey lied in order to prevent the public from knowing ……. I naively imagined that when the public discovered how he had lied to them, they would be annoyed; instead of which, they were grateful to him for having spared them the moral responsibility.”

(From The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell by Bertrand Russell, 1872 – 1970)

John Lentell

13th May, 1969

Monday’s Piece

A clerk in a London town hall was going through a pile of forms that had been sent in.

In the part marked “Do not write in this space”, one householder had written: “I protest against this infringement of personal liberty – please note I shall write where I jolly well please.”

John Lentell

12th May, 1969

Thursday’s Piece

“I have heard of a man who had a mind to sell his house,  and therefore carried a piece of brick in his pocket, which he showed as a pattern to encourage purchasers.”

(a Href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swift”>Jonathan Swift, 1667 – 1745)

John Lentell

7th May, 1969

Sunday’s Piece

“Love one another, but make not a bond of love,

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.”

(From The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, 1883 – 1931)

John Lentell

4th May, 1969

Saturday’s Piece

“There are the judges robed and wigged and looking from the gallery, if one can say so without disrespect, like a flock of sheep – pedigree sheep, of course.”

(Manchester Guardian on the House of Lords at the opening of the new session)

John Lentell

3rd May, 1969

Friday’s Piece

“What a pity times are not what they used to be. Children no longer obey their parents and everyone wants to write a book.”

(Literal translation of message inscribed on the oldest piece of papyrus preserved by the State Museum  in Instanbul)

John Lentell

2nd May, 1969

Thursday’s Piece

“The best confidential report I ever heard of,” said Lord Wavell, “was also the shortest. It was by one Horse Gunner of another, and ran: ‘Personally I would not breed from this officer.'”

(From Lord Wavell by Major-General R.J. Collins)

John Lentell

1st May, 1969