The prime minister did not wholly believe in the past or in any lessons that might be drawn from it.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett.  A delightful and subtly clever humorous piece.  The basis of the story is the supposition of what would happen if late in life Queen Elizabeth had become an enthusiastic reader.  Charming.  On her weekly meetings with the Prime Minister.

The inattention, though, and the boredom was not all his, and as she had begun to read more, she resented the time these meetings took up and so thought to enliven the process by relating them to her studies and what she was learning about history.

This was not a good idea. The prime minister did not wholly believe in the past or in any lessons that might be drawn from it. One evening he was addressing her on the subject of the Middle East when she ventured to say, 'It is the cradle of civilisation, you know.'

'And shall be again, ma'am,' said the prime minister, 'provided we are allowed to persist,' and then bolted off down a side alley about the mileage of new sewage pipes that had been laid and the provision of electricity sub-stations.

She interrupted again. 'One hopes this isn't to the detriment of the archaeological remains. Do you

know about Ur?'

He didn't. So as he was going she found him a couple of books that might help. The following week she asked him if he had read them (which he hadn't).

'They were most interesting, ma'am.'

'Well, in that case we must find you some more. I find it fascinating.'

This time Iran came up and she asked him if he knew of the history of Persia, or Iran (he had scarcely even connected the two), and gave him a book on that besides, and generally began to take such an interest that after two or three sessions like this, Tuesday evenings, which he had hitherto looked forward to as a restful oasis in his week, now became fraught with apprehension. She even questioned him about the books as if they were homework. Finding he hadn't read them she smiled tolerantly.

'My experience of prime ministers, prime minister, is that, with Mr Macmillan the exception, they prefer to have their reading done for them.'

'One is busy, ma'am,' said the prime minister.

'One is busy,' she agreed and reached for her book. 'We will see you next week.'