SIR,—Reading the report ,of this debate inclined one to give
a new meaning to the phrase 'parliamentary privilege.' So many, perhaps half,' of the speakers seemed to enjoy. the privilege not only of ignoring life itself but also of turning their backs on litera- ture, history, psychology, psychiatry and sexology. The Hon. Member for Bromsgrove, for example, blithely told the House that not luxury, not inter- mixture of races, not fiscal burdens brought down the Roman empire, but homosexual practices. In its historical context the Roman achievement in its pacifying and practical aspects, to mention no others, is perhaps the greatest in the story of man to date. For centuries its virility and vitality continued to manifest themselves and right from the beginning sexual behaviour was a matter for personal taste and very liberal custom. It would not at all surprise me to learn that this MP (Mr. Dance) knows onjY of Hadrian (poet, philosopher, soldier, administrator of genius) that he built a wall and is unaware that he also 'idolised' Antinous. When one gets to the end of Hansard one is only surprised that no ohe got up to put forward the theory that these dreadful homosexual practices were the root cause of the dreadful summer we had this year.—Yours faith- fully,
GEORGE RICHARDS
Blenheim, Mount Pleasant Road, Poole
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