ENDP8PEM

Whitsun Wager

By STRIX

1. 'There is an east wind coming all the same, such a wind as never blew on England yet. It will be cold and bitter, and a good many of us may wither before its blast. But it's God's own wind none the less, and a cleaner, better, stronger land will lie in the sunshine when the storm has cleared.'

Who .said this, and what was he talking about?

2. 'Hitler has missed the bus.' Who said this in what context?

3. 'Thus he vanished—reckless and wary, grace- ful and graceless, handsome, debonair, vile od unconquered.'

Whose departure a-as thus described by whom?

4. 'I thought he was a young man of promise, but it appears he is a young man of promises.'

Which former Prime Minister said this of a future Prime Minister?

Clues

(a) Whether they belong to fact or fiction, all the six individuals whom readers are asked to identify can fairly be described as house- hold names.

(b) Although each of them came into existence before 1900. all flourished during the twen- tieth century.

(c) Works of reference are unlikely to be of much assistance.

Conditions of Entry

(a) I am prepared to offer odds of 100-1 against anybody answering all four questions cor- rectly. The maximum stake is one shilling. Thus if any body encloses a shilling (or three fourpenny stamps) with his- or her solution and that solution is right, I will give f5 to Oxfam. If it is not the right solution, I will forward my winnings (augmented from my own resources if things do not go too hard for me) to Oxfam.

(b) Entries should be addressed to Strix, c/o The SPECTATOR. 99 Gower Street, London, WCI. The closing date is June 3. A report on the result will appear in the issue of June 10.

(c) If there is anything about this competition which you do not understand, it is either your fault or mine. Refrain, therefore, from seek- ing clarification at the offices of the

SPECTATOR.