“Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many, for appointment by the corrupt few.”

‘Democracy’

. . George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950

Even ‘Errol’ recognises corruption. You don’t always need to be an accountant to tell when people are stealing from you.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

“When the politicians and all those with whom we entrust our civil well being, long after we have paid them handsomely with all our tax monies, can no longer find any excuses for their failures, they then turn to us and say it is not their failures at all, but simply us and our perception of failures. Therefore it must surely follow, this is not purgatory at all. . .”
(This must really be ‘Paradise Lost’. John Milton 1608-1674)

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity)

“For the sake of a few fine and imaginative or domestic passages, are we to be bullied into a certain philosophy engendered in the whims of an egotist.”

To J.H. Reynolds, 3rd. February 1818

. . John Keats 1795-1821

I’m not sure exposing ‘Errol’ to this sort of language really does anything for his deeper understanding. . . I could be quite wrong of course !

. . Charles Henry 1945-(Diuturnity)

“The Puritan hated bear-baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators.”

Works (1898), vol. xi. Essay on Athenian Orators

. . Lord Macaulay 1800- 1859

Why so many lack ‘Errol’s’ honesty it is difficult to understand. But how do they justify mouse traps or the slow death from rat poison I ask myself.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(an inordinately extended period)

“Men who are anxious to win the favour of a Prince nearly always follow the custom of presenting themselves to him with the possessions they value most, or with things they know especially please him;”

Letter from Niccolo Machiavelli to the Magnificent Lorenzo De’ Medici

. . Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527

‘Errol’ obviously has a clear understanding of the implications of such an arrangement.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(very worrying)

“The magnitude of the Scottish rejection of congestion charging in Edinburgh leaves many people wondering if the vote in London that brought about it’s introduction there, was in fact honest and truly democratic. Was this another incidence of corrupt politicians and their lackeys abusing their position? . . . It would not be the first democratic institution shown to be severely lacking in the integrity expected of all those involved. The Northern Ireland Assembly has now been clearly shown to be suffering at the hands of infidels".

Once again ‘Errol’ asks a simple question that the political class, in their many covert manifestations, refuse to answer. The public highway, as defined by law, consists of any verge, footway, carriageway, bridleway or footpath that is maintained at public expense and over which the public has a right of way.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(’til the end of the road)

To save himself from being reproached by the nobles, another noteworthy consideration can be drawn;
“A prince should delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in their own hands the means of winning favours. Again, I conclude that a prince should value the nobles, but not make himself hated by the people.”

The Prince. ch.xix. The need to avoid contempt and hatred.

. . Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527

Even ‘Errol’ can recognise bad law and injustice.
I can’t help but feel that the day they outlawed hunting with dogs will be a day Mr. Blair will come to bitterly regret.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(dwindling)

“A man who is made a prince by the favour of the people must work to retain their friendship; and this is easy for him because the people ask only not to be oppressed.”

The Prince ch.ix. The constitutional principality

. . Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527

‘Errol’ knows all about oppression. His brother, whom he believes hates him, once made him cycle all the way to Bath after somone had stolen the saddle from his bicycle. As he said at the time; “IT WER AWRITE GOIN’ UP ‘ILL, BUT YOU TRY GOIN’ AW DA WAY TA BAFF !".

. . Charles Henry 1945-(quite a painfull thought)

“To keep his minister up to the mark the prince, on his side, must be considerate towards him, must pay him honour, enrich him, put him in his debt, share with him both honours and responsibilities. Thus the minister will see how dependent he is on the prince; and then having riches and honours to the point of surfeit he will desire no more; holding so many offices, he cannot but fear changes.”

The Prince chxxii

. . Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527

‘Errol’ has such a grasp of world affairs. ‘The bosses wife’ must have been such a wonderful example of manipulative expediency.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(reluctant)

“No rising star in the political firmament ever shone more brightly than Sir Oswald Mosley. Since by general assent he could have become the leader of either the Labour or the Conservative Party. What Mosley so valiantly stood for could have saved this country from the Hungry Thirties and the Second World War".

. . Michael Foot, M.P.

‘Errol’ sits and thinks and occasionally comes out with some remarkable statements. Only those that have already been
compromised by ‘cronyism’ could possibly disagree.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(dwindling)

“The Chancellor of the Exchequer is a man whose duties make him more or less a taxing machine. He is intrusted with a certain amount of misery which it is his duty to distribute as fairly as he can.”

House of Commons, 11th. April 1870

. . Robert Lowe, Viscount Sherbrooke 1811-1892

That is of course until he over steps his brief and starts to believe he is God Almighty. Then we all send him packing. It’s called ‘Democracy’. Of course ‘Errol’ remains unimpressed as he can see little advantage.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(’til the bell tolls)

“Let us all be happy, and live within our means, even if we have to borrer the money to do it with.”

Science and Natural History

. . Artemus Ward (Charles Farrar Browne) 1834-1867

It’s times like this that I really despair of ‘Errol’.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(far too early at this rate)

“Opinion is ultimately determined by the feelings, and not by the intellect.”

Social Statistics (1850) pt.1v, ch.30. 8

. . Herbert Spencer 1820-1903

I do detect a note of cynicism from ‘Errol’ but I am not sure it is completely warranted.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(watch this space)

“I know many have been taught to think that moderation, in a case like this is a sort of treason.”

Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol (1777)

“Bad laws are the worst sort of Tyranny.”

. . Edmund Burke 1729-1797

Certainly ‘Errol’ would know little of fox hunting, but he certainly recognises tyranny when it looms it’s ugly head.


. . Charles Henry 1945-(few care)

“I think Capitalism, wisely managed, can probably be made more efficient for attaining economic ends than any alternative system yet in sight, but that in itself it is in many ways extremely objectionable.”

The End of Laisser-Faire (1926), v.

. . John Maynard Keynes 1883-1946

I don’t think ‘Errol’ has ever really considered the long term consequences of his shall we say, ‘ebullient’ life style.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(too depressing)

“The optimist proclaims we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.”

The Silver Stallion, bk.iv.ch.26

. . James Branch Cabell 1879-1958

Hmm. . . ‘Errol’ is certainly pessimistic today.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(an extended period I feel)

“One man shall have one vote.”

People’s Barrier Against Undue Influence (1780), p.5

. . John Cartwright 1740-1824

‘Errol’ has just realised that he also has been suffering under some false impressions he was taught at school. The Authors of which shall remain nameless.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(20??)

“If yet I have not all thy love, Dear, I shall never have it all.”

Lovers’ Infiniteness

. . John Donne 1571?-1631

A very sad tale and lessons must surely be learnt, even though true love has eventually triumphed.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(till death do us part)

“The queen is most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of ‘Woman’s Rights’, with all it’s attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feeling and propriety. Lady—ought to get a good whipping. It is a subject that makes the Queen so furious that she cannot contain herself. God created men and women different—then let them remain each in their own position.”

Letter to Sir Theodore Martin, 29th. May 1890

. . Queen Victoria 1819-1901

Indeed like the rest of us ‘Errol’ learned the art of survival and self preservation at a very early age.

. . Charles Henry 1945 - (risky subject)

Editor.
Western Daily Press

First Published July 18th. 2003

Dear Editor,

IDENTITY CARDS are being presented by the Home Secretary as a Benign Accoutrement to Good Citizenship. The only people who have nothing to fear from Digitally-Recorded Identity Cards are the CRIMINALS.
As with all other legislative controls, such as the recent gun legislation, the Dangerous Dogs Act and the drug legislation, the CRIMINALS ignore it and treat it as an irrelevance, then steal and forge any documentation they may occasionally require.

Typically, this New Labour legislation is being driven by that dangerous left-wing group of control freaks and social engineers, the FABIAN SOCIETY, of which Tony Blair is a leading light. (more…)

‘Errol’ on Dame Ellen MacArthur’s record breaking solo voyage.

I do believe the epic round the world adventure of lone yachts’ woman, the now Dame Ellen MacArthur, has finally shamed ‘Errol’. But will it last I wonder. . . Somehow I doubt it.

. . Charles Henry 1945- (—)

“Under all speech that is good for anything there lies a silence that is better. Silence is as deep as Eternity; speech is as shallow as Time.”

From the Scottish author of peasant stock who went to Edinburgh university; known for his individual views that pervade his historical writing, he was

. . Thomas Carlyle 1795-1881

Once again ‘Errol’s’ perceptivness belies his situation in life. He is clearly uncannily ‘Street Wise’.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(elusive)

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

Inaugural address, 20th. Jan. 1961. Not the first use of this form of words: a similar exhortation may be found in the funeral oration for John Greenleaf Whittier.

. . John Fitzgerald Kennedy 1917-1963

Well that is surprising, . . I do believe that even ‘Errol’ noticed George ‘Dubya’ said something quite similar.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(not feeling quite so optimistic today)

“£40,000 a year a moderate income—such a one as a man might jog on with.”

The Creevey Papers (13th. Sept.1821). 11.32

. . John George Lambton, First Earl of Durham 1792-1840

Oh dear, I think I agree with ‘Errol’. That is rather alot for your average Earl by today’s standards, but of course it wouldn’t pay Bill Gates house-keeping.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(optimistically diuturnal)

“As a prince must be able to act just like a beast, he must learn from the fox and the lion; because the lion does not defend himself against traps, and the fox does not defend himself against wolves. So one has to be a fox in order to recognise traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves.”

The Prince, 1513 ch.XV111

. . Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527

I am not sure that’s quite what he meant, but ‘Errol’ does have some advice George ‘Dubya’ and Tony Blair would do well to listen to.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(oh drat it.)

“A labour contract into which men enter voluntarily for a limited and brief period, under which they are paid wages which they consider adequate, under which they are not bought or sold and from which they can obtain relief . . on payment of £17.10s., the cost of their passage, may not be a desireable contract, but it cannot in the opinion of His Majesty’s Government be classified as slavery in the extreme acceptance of the word without some risk of terminological inexactitude.”

. . Winston Churchill 1874-1965

House of Commons, 22nd. Feb.1906. This celebrated example of polysyllabic humour was always to be misunderstood and to be regarded as a nice substitute for a “lie” which it was plainly not intended to be.
See R.S. Churchill, Winston S. Churchill(1967),II,167:

‘Errol’, as with many others, has never really understood that his good fortune continues to depend largely on the misfortune of others.

. . Charles Henry 1945-(diuturity)

February 2005

Copyright 2005 by Charles Henry

Funny wedder ain’t it. . .Cawd, den windy, den wet. . . Dey poor sods up norff got drowned out din um. Corse it’s climit change ain’t it. . . I tawd ar anty lils bloke, ‘is van wer smokin like it wer a steem train, an if ee din’t ged it fixed it ould cawse problims ! . . . ‘ee don’t care. . . ‘ee reccons ee don’t fly nowhere, so ees owed a bit a pullushun. . . mine you, . ‘ee reccons it ownt mat’er a diddly sqwot wot we meesly 60 million doos. . . wen billions uv dey up china ull soon be livin’ it up like deres no tamorra. . . . Wos fink uv dat gert Yorup plane anyow ? . If dat bugger cums down over Lundon, . er anywers else fer dat mat’er. . . it’ll make a bloody mess I tell ee. . . . Same awd fing doe ain’t it. . Dey silly sods up Yorup jest wonts ta get wun over on dey yanks. . Meeself I reccon it’ll be like Concordski er da Baff Spa. . . Deyll go on spedin’ millions uv ar dosh. . aw jest ta prove deym bigger pratts dan we ferst fawt !

Gorge Dubya got castrated fer anuvver fore yers dint ee. . . Yer dat wer a bit drastic wernt it ?. . . I dint fink ee wer a Romun Cafflick ? . . . . blinkin eck! . . . see wot deyll aw do fer power ! . . Fer five minits dey aw stops slaggin un off but it’ll soon start agen. . . . Illery an Bill went along fer a few free beers deym planning ta av a second go, . . but meeself I fancies dat nice Congaleeta Rice (Dr. Condoleezza Rice). . . ders no flies on Georgy Boy deese no ! . . . shame abowt ‘is operation mine you. . .

Yer dist see dat scoch git wots in charge uv aw dey libdems ? . . . ‘is misse’s expecting a litlun. . . You’d fink it wer ‘ee avin’ it. . not ‘er ! . . . Tawk abowt michelin man ! . . Still ee finks wer aw gonna make ee pryminister. . sum ope. . . ‘Ees gettin mor like Humpty Dumpty. . . Id ravver av Bat Man. . .Wot we reely needs is da Terminater. . . Sumwun like ol Ray Mallin, ol zero tolerince is self. . . dese scrotes ‘as ta no deym gonna get sorted. . Dey as ta be more scared uv da law dan we is a dey. .

Wos fink uv aw dat ‘olacost stuff an’aw dat den ? . . dust no I never new ‘aff a dat. . . no bugger tawd I nuffink abowt aw dey merdrin gits wiv itler an aw dat wen I wer ut scaw ! . .an aw dey gas chambers an aw dat ! . . an aw dese bleedin’ librals still gets dere nikkers in twist over dat git Sadam ! . . . . aw dey wonts is a pleece state over yer wiv camras evry wer ! . . tawk abowt big bruvvers wachin you. . . das like wot it must uv bin like wiv Itler an aw ‘is bleedin SS gits. . . do uz yoom tawd er yoom ded meat me sunner! . . Me bruvver wer like dat wiv I wen we wus kids. . . ee ates me ya no ! . . I cawt un meazerin da milkmans toolbox on ‘is milkflowt wunce, ta see if ee could fit I in it. . . . I tel wot ! you don’t no nuffink !

Well any’ow I’n finkin a takin up golf er criket ! . . . yeh I am ! . . . I needs ta meet a bet’er class a peeple, er I’ll still be sat yer wen I’n awd. I wunder if dey allows dogs ? . Yer dus reccon we can stuff dey ozzi scrotes now an get back aw da bleedin sinders, er da ashes, er wot ever dey caws um ?

“Errol if you’ve got nothing to do, come and help me clear all this rubbish.” God, she’s off agen. I’d bedder go.