Out It’s Leo Amery’s 141st birthday: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Amery#mediaviewer/File:Leo_Amery_1917.jpg I’ve written before about the supremely dramatic quality of the Norway debate in the House of Commons in May 1940; how I re-read it from time to time as though it were a great play: https://flickr/photos/apenguinaweek/5770931620/ Amery, concluding his speech at 8.40 pm on May 7th: ‘…Somehow or other we must get into the Government men who can match our enemies in fighting spirit, in daring, in resolution and in thirst for victory. Some 300 years ago, when this House found that its troops were being beaten again and again by the dash and daring of the Cavaliers, by Prince Ruperts Cavalry, Oliver Cromwell spoke to John Hampden. In one of his speeches he recounted what he said. It was this: I said to him, Your troops are most of them old, decayed serving men and tapsters and such kind of fellows.…You must get men of a spirit that are likely to go as far as they will go, or you will be beaten still. It may not be easy to find these men. They can be found only by trial and by ruthlessly discarding all who fail and have their failings discovered. We are fighting to-day for our life, for our liberty, for our all; we cannot go on being led as we are. I have quoted certain words of Oliver Cromwell. I will quote certain other words. I do it with great reluctance, because I am speaking of those who are old friends and associates of mine, but they are words which, I think, are applicable to the present situation. This is what Cromwell said to the Long Parliament when he thought it was no longer fit to conduct the affairs of the nation: You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go.’ There had been and was to be much more drama in his life, but nothing equals the effect of that peroration. However many times you’ve read it before, however certain you are of its imminent appearance, when it comes it still hits you with astonishing rhetorical and historical and moral force. It wasn’t a tweet.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 06:43:57 +0000