21 AUGUST 1976, Page 18

The Pope

Sir: As an Anglican with many Roman Catholic friends, and also as one inured to Auberon Waugh's style of writing, 1 aril astonished at his language about the Pope. to whom he presumably still owes some sort of respect. May I offer the following couplet in his Church's traditional tongue ?

Romani gregis hic suboles dum gaudet haberi, Quam pius in Sanctum est blandiloquusque Patrem !

(Lit. 'While he rejoices to be considered a scion of the Roman flock, how filial and blandishing he is towards the Holy Father!) G. M. Lee Editorial Staff, Oxford Latin Dictionary, 113 Ford End Road, Bedford