LETTERS When sympathy is cheap
Sir: The soul-searching — if what Paul Johnson writes can be dignified with such complexity — displayed by him and Sir Peregrine Worsthorne over Jonathan Aitken's problems (And another thing; As I was saying, 28 June) reminds me of an occasion many years ago when I was sitting at the lunch table in the Bar mess at Inner London Crown Court.
The subject of John Stonehouse, then on trial at the Old Bailey, arose. I, very junior, ventured to say I felt some sympathy for him. 'Why should you? What an extraordi- nary idea,' said a much more senior barris- ter, a man who I now realise when I appear before him is blessed with absolutely no imagination at all.
I was unable to answer him, nervous per- haps of his bluff stupidity, but was lucky to have sitting next to me a man who, forsak- ing many years as a teacher, had come to the Bar late. He remarked that it would not be human not to feel sympathy for a crea- ture hunted. He commented that our ability to feel for others is not limited by our moral judgments on their behaviour.
He also added, which I suppose is what one would wish to tell Mr Johnson and Sir Peregrine, that any attempt to explain to others such feelings in public is fairly point- less, a thing one would not wish to do, unless paid for it, since it cheapens. Jonathan Davies
2 Serjeants' Inn, Temple, London EC4
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