In the Wake of Dr. Johnson
SIR,—The Dean of Canterbury in a recent speech at Brisbane seemed rather annoyed with a recent paragraph in the Spectaior. In a note in the Calcutta Statesman a few days ago there was a reference to the Dean's speech. The Spectator and other papers in the U.K. and else- where have apparently published what the Dean has, rather forcibly, called a "lot of damned lies." The Editor of the Spectator and others who do not seem to agree with the Dean's interesting views are in his opinion " liars " and " scallywags."
Would it be improper if I were to ask: Is this picturesque language the result of prolonged worship of the Stalinist Baal behind the Iron Curtain ? " The last end of a man is a revelation of his deeds."
(Ecclesiasticus ii. 27).—I am, Sir, yours, &c., J. D. JENKINS. Poona.
SIR,—Mr. A. T. D'Eye thinks that " malice and calumny could scarcely go further " than in your paragraph about the Dean of Canterbury. But they seem to have gone further in his wrathful letter to you. It is puerile to infer, even satirically, that the Spectator advocates war and mass bombing ; nobody but a Kremlin propagandist could pretend to believe such things. When he adds, also ironically, that the Dean's fauk " lies in obeying his Master," one can only conclude that this is a slip of the pen„., for " obeying his masters in the Kremlin." As for the rest of his, amazing defence, Mr. D'Eye seems to have a singular freedom of the Dean's mind.
To many of us it seems incredible that people like the Dean and Mr. D'Eye can be found—to be so suspicious of the motives of their country- men, whom they can freely mix with, know and see unguarded, and yet so childishly credulous of tk: painted facade of the well-guarded Iron Curtain, of the hinterland of which they can krow little but what they
are meant to know. Is it not possible, Sir, thp to let such angry ravings, however unsubstantiated, go by default ma,y sometimes give them undeserved validity ? I therefore submit these comments where others,
naturally enough, have not ne16.01:.o so.-1 am, Sir, yours faithfully,
Lynchmere Green, Haslemere, Surrey.
F. D. MERRALLS.
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