Palmer & the Princess
Sir: I notice that a letter from the Literary Editor of The Spectator appeared in the Times in connection with an article recently published in The Spectator. I would like to make the following comment on the writer of this article.
Those who write, and those who publish, matter of this kind seem to be unaware that there is now a large and rapidly increasing body of informed opinion which will interpret it as comment on, not the object of the article, but the writer, and the editor.
The self-respect of a integrated personality need not be disturbed by the rank or sex of another person. A male taking the aggressively impertinent line taken by your contributor, immediately exposes himself to suspicion that he is prompted by feelings of sexual inadequacy. Another contributor in the tame issue is open to a similar suspicion: ruffled vanity is implicit in the comment: "1 was quickly brought down when I recognized Princess Anne and knew the smile was not just for me but one for one of the people." It does not yet seem to be realized by journalists that exhibition of the qualities demonstrated by your contributor could amount, from their own standpoint, to indecent exposure; a common aggressive outlet by the inadequate. Writers and editors could well afford to forego these public airings of private inadequacies. Realization of this might perhaps do something to subdue the current wave of masculine exhibitionism.
F. Macartney Tapada do Falcao, Caia de Urra, Portalegre, Portugal
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