31 MARCH 1990, Page 23

Exposure

Sir: In his review of Titmuss Regained (10 March) Colin Welch quotes Bacon to the effect that 'the higher a man climbs, the better the world's view of his arse'.

For years I have enjoyed quoting a Jamaican proverb which says: 'The higher monkey climb, the more him butty ex- pose'. A Baconism Jamaicanised? That seems unlikely, since there are no monkeys in Jamaica. An African origin is surely more probable, in which case we have here a universally recognised truth!

C. Le G. Eaton

35 Riddlesdown Road, Purley,

Surrey