6 AUGUST 1965, Page 13

Afterthought

Sia,—In his 'Afterthought' on the subject of death, Mr. Alan Brien--so it seems to me—is merely plagiarising Talleyrand at unwarrantable length. That sophisticated, if scoundrelly, character is re- ported as having said: 'The majority of mankind always has been, and always will be, composed of imbeciles.' This is about as true as any facile, and witty, generalisation. I suggest to Mr. Brien that in such there is always a catch.

Wychwood, Barcombe, Lewes, Sussex

VAL GIELOUD