Italians can take it
Sir: How interesting to see The Spectator belatedly following in the footsteps of one of its great confreres (Politics, 22 June). The non-quoted Senor Westendorp apart, it was of course the Economist which, on 20 Octo- ber 1990, propelled the Marx brothers' Ital- ian connection into Euro-fame. The story was considered quite amusing in Italy at the time, though to many of my compatriots the name Marx brought back the memory of Karl and left them flustered as to the possible automotive role of his until-then- unknown brothers.
The Marx brothers have once again — as they already had done in 1990 (Economist, 17 November 1990) — brought their bus home despite the bumpy road, but we should show sympathy to our partners. It must have been hard for the British minis- ters in Florence publicly to show their appreciation of 'easily the least competent of the major EU governments' (i.e. the Ital- ian government, according to Bruce Ander- son). And what about John Major having to grapple not with a government but with 'an oxymoron'? (Not only him, come to think of it. Remember? Lady Thatcher was in Italy in 1985, in 1990. . . .) Italians are tolerant people and if others' taste for amusement is `mocking their poli- tics' we do not really mind. As for our pas- times, we tend to concentrate on beauty, be it of form, body or soul. Maybe Bruce Anderson should try; I am sure he would do at least as well as he does in his chase for `oxymoron' and would probably have more fun as well.
Antonio Armellini
Italian Embassy, 14 Three Kings Yard, London W1
Previous page
