"AND it also means that the
style and the manner of expression are exposed to criticism" (Desmond Albrow). Could I therefore ask Mr. Albrow to apply his critical powers to the incredible style of Archbishop Murphy (January 10), which struck me as far more worthy of Mr. Albrow's attention than the anonymous priest in The Times.
Putting on one side what the Archbishop had to say, I found the "style and the manner of expression" quite incredible: at least 15 clichés and proverbs ("son and heir," "cut and dried," "fly in the ointment," "the family of man," etc.), a scattering of Latin tags, aphorisms etc. and the constant drop of the name (Duns Scotus, J. M. Barrie, H. G. Wells. Punch, Professor 0. Doherty).
There were also jokes. potted psychology and do-it-yourself sociology. Mr. Albrow described the anonymous priest's style as "Marie Corelli in a Roman collar." How would he describe Archbishop Murphy's? Patience Strong and Beverley Winn?
Mary Hughes (Mrs.) Salisbury, Wilts.
No.—Editor.