‘Instinctively the Englishman is no…conqueror.’

Nice try, Rog! You might even get away with it if there were no Irish in the world to testify to the absurdity of such a sentiment. I agree that the English have some fine qualities but a moral repugnance – or even a lofty indifference – to occupying another country against the wishes of the vast majority of its inhabitants is not one of them. They have always indeed proved an indefatigable enemy whatever the justice of their cause, a characteristic of which W.S. Churchill was the last great exemplar. I’m not a fan of Old Winnie but I must say I’d feel a damn sight better and safer if he was still in No. 10, chomping cigars and knocking back single malts.

In respect of His Grace I agree with everything you say – and then some. The Philosophical/Cultural Cringe of the European elites will bring about the ruin of a civilisation to which the aforesaid English have made a truly magnificent contribution.

When the end comes we’ll find that William Wordsworth has supplied our epitaph:

‘Men are we and must grieve when even the shade of that which once was great has passed away.’