No race on earth celebrates the spirit of commemoration as the British do: all the plaques and statues: even Beau Brummell in Jermyn Street: the whimsicality of it all. I have just put up the statue of Dorothy L Sayers and here is the statue of Sir John Betjeman, staring up at the roof that he helped to save at St Pancras station. A couple of great British characters; indomitable and utterly unforgettable. It is also amazing what a talent exists for placement: consider the statue of Dr Johnson set to look down Fleet Street on the eastern side of St Clement Danes.
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Were Sayers next to Betjeman in an enclosed public place like that her fag would have to go!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm sure that this is right! Itis remarkable that she is depicted with a fag in her hand but good for those responsible for it. She died, aged only 64, of a sudden stroke and, of course, The Puritans will tell us that it was because she smoked but I have a feeling that if she had known of the effects of smoking (and she probably had a fair idea anyway), she would have carried o9n regardless!
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