St Mugg, the girner
From Mr Leon Le Leu Sir: Theodore Dalrymple (Second opinion, 20 July) has surpassed himself in his description of Malcolm Muggeridge, who enunciated his opinions 'as if straining at stool'. Muggeridge was instantly brought to life in my mind wearing just such an expression. Unlike some of your readers I was never privileged to meet or be interviewed by Muggeridge. I had to make do as a teenager with seeing him on ABC Television in black and white. Even through that inadequate medium I was impressed by his considerable intellect and the fantastic range of his facial expressions.
In his modestly entitled book My Life in Pictures (The Herbert Press, London. 1987), Muggeridge captured a few such expressions. On page 75 there is a portrait of him preparing for a television programme, which he labels as 'slightly theatrically "savouring a point" '. Thanks to Theodore Dalrymple, I can now recognise the expression he wears as less fitting for the box than for the thunderbox.
Leon Le Leu
Jerrabomberra, Australia
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