15 APRIL 2000, Page 27

Shoes v. Seneca

From Mr David Watkins Sir: It is disappointing that no reviewer of Alain de Botton's The Consolations of Phi- losophy (Books, 1 April) has quoted Lord Macaulay's apposite words:

For our part, if we are forced to make our choice between the first shoemaker and the author of the three books On Anger, we pro- nounce for the shoemaker. It may be worse to be angry than to be wet. But shoes have kept millions from being wet; and we doubt whether Seneca ever kept anybody from being angry.

David Watkins

79 Mortimer Road, Cardiff