SIR,—Bernard Levin's dismay over the prevailing lack of a sense
of humour shown by the reactions to his spoof strikes a resounding chord.
The Sunday Times of March 9 contained a leader called 'The Queen Mother,' the general tenor of which can be appreciated best by the follow- ing phrases extracted from it, although it really should be Lead as a whole :
This week, the people of this country will learn with thankful hearts of the return of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother . . . thank- ful for her safety and good health after these long and arduous voyages, thankful selfishly that she is with us here again . . . we may now join nor voices with those of our kin across the seas in thanking her not only for being herself but giving herself to us.
Not having a particularly strong stomach, I felt that this leader deserved a letter and so I sent off what may have been a little heavy-handed sarcasm to Kemsley House. I wrote, as near as I can re- member, commending the leader writer on his good taste and restraint which showed up all those whO were criticising the kind of writing that normally goes on about the Royal Family. I was trying to take the mickey out of them, but it wasn't very subtle. A little while later back came a letter from someone who signed himself, 'for the editor,' which thanked me for my 'kind remark about our leader' and which expressed their encouragement in 'hearing from our readers when a particular feature of the paper has given a special satisfaction' I thought at first that they were giving me my own medicine— but upon further thought, I guess not. Oh well.— yours faithfully, 16 Horbury Crescent, WI!
KENNETH STERN
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