rather enjoyed

those extracts from dirk bogarde's published letters which were lodged in the "sunday telegraph". here he is, doing the rounds, promoting one of his books:

"did the 'tour'… birmingham, oxford, all the university towns. fun and moving. harrods, on the other hand, was as funny as a baby's funeral… millions of ugly people and a rude woman who said, in a very loud voice, 'my god! look what he's come to. selling himself in public!'"

that voice, that censorious voice, is the real, true voice of england. recognise it anywhere.

also amusing are some of the other reproving comments lobbed his way while out in public:

"left france, have you?"
"thinner than i imagined"
"pity, but after 50, you know"

and the most splendid of the lot: "he's buying tinned tomatoes". which magically combines disapprobation, noseyness, class distinction, and the mundane. brilliant, brilliant stuff.