COMING ROUND THE BEND

New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 717, 10 April 1953, Page 20

COMING ROUND THE BEND,

‘With

Denis

Glover

HERE’S a time in a man’selife when he glances at the Births in the daily paper, just to see how his friends are getting on. Later, he reads the Deaths, to see how his friends are going off "\VITH large, divine, and comfortable words." That’s Tennyson for you, using three adjectives, two of which won't stand scrutiny. H, the lovely English! Once I paused on a corner in Dover and read on a plaque: "It was at this spot that David Copperfield ended his historic journey from London." And now I find that both King Arthur and Robin Hood feature in the Dictionary of National Biography! | Yet the English have always been realists enough not to be frightened by threats, not to be dismayed by facts. DID enjoy being asked the other day what all these cosmetic rays were about, [N_a@ naval hospital I was incensed to find that patients were required to stand, sit or lie at attention when the Medical Officers stalked ‘majestically on their rounds, But why not? These are the lords of life and death, ordinary officers merely the lords of barrack square or battle. W HEN people ask "What does he do?" _ they are not really curious about what "he" does-they are only specu-

lating on how much money he is + Sorly to be making out of it. "H{IM? He's not a human being. He’ : only a money-spider!’"’ : AFTER all, it’s not. what. you die worth’ -~it’s what you’ve got to live with. AM sick of treason trials, But if they held reason trials how many of -us could hope to survive the first erage examination? ‘THERE'S: a kind* of aay that the more newsprint we have, the better | off the world will be. Yet there are, so many magazines I wouldn't be seen reading in a barber's shop. ' O live ‘fatly on promises is to grow : lean in their fulfilment. O many bright idees are like a new season's football: It’s not till they have’ been kicked ,about a bit that they can be surely handled. How distressing when so much of one’s own conversation is quoted back to one like an unaccepted collect telegram. HEN our ftiends or , relatives ask for too much sympathy we should tell them that we refuse to be an aspirin for anyone.

character of the families and institutions that are entitled to arms. In the picture on the right Lady Tarbat wears one of the family’s heirlooms, a necklace of black pearls, emeralds and rubies given to a Tarbat by Marie Antoinette. Apart from the people, Margot Campbell — introduces, her listeners to some interesting places, among them Westminster School. Westminster Abbey, the Kentish village of Penshurst Place, and the Royal Mews. Westminster School, she says, is the only school in the world with a royal pardon for murder on the wall. This was granted by Charles II after a citizen had ‘died as a result of a beating-up by the boys. Nowadays the boys are better mannered, and ‘at the coronation they will have the honour of being the first to acclaim the new queen. Their cries of "Vivat Elizabeth Regina Vivat, Vivat," will be heard by all who listen to the coronation broadcast. Other talks to be heard in

the series will deal with coronation fashions and decorations, with those taking part in the procession, and with the servicemen who will line the fYoute.

In addition to the broadcasts from ZB stations, Of Kings and Queens will be heard from. all YZ stations and from 1XN, 2XP and 2XN.