Over the years I’ve travelled more widely than many of my fellow citizens of Port Naain. Some of this is perhaps due to my romantic nature, my love of the new vista, new people, new customs. Rather more of it is probably due to the cantankerous nature of some of my fellows.

Off the cuff, I produced a short verse about Boggis Callow, who irritated me immensely for reasons I can no longer completely bring to mind. I remember somebody making the comment about him, “A Pompous fool who knows how to put the moan in sanctimonious.”

I was at the Misanthropes one evening and he was pontificating loudly about something or the other to a collection of sycophants. They cling on his every word in the vague hope that if they are suitably ingratiating and obsequious, he’ll scatter largesse in their direction. He may be a pompous fool but…