You will be surprised when you come to learn with what little intelligence the world is governed

An evergreen letter to The Spectator editor, 26 September, 1992

Sir: The economic mess into which our politicians have allowed us to fall, as well as those same politicians' nightly tergiversations in front of the television cameras, their steadfast refusal to admit to any errors of judgment, their transparent attempts to lay the blame anywhere but on themselves, have all served to remind me of the words of Lord Chesterfield in his Letters to his Son: 'You will be surprised when you come to learn with what little intelligence the world is governed.'

E.J. Lacey
21 Walpole Road,
Surbiton,
Surrey

A letter for all places, all times.