Last Act in Palmyra

The world is full of people slandering their birthplaces, as if they really believe that small-town life is different elsewhere.

Communicating wit is a lonely art. It demands an independent soul.

The new "humour", if you can call it that, is pure malicious gossip. Instead of making a genuine point, it's now good enough to repeat any ribald story without a thought for whether it's even true.

In fact, making up a spiteful lie has become respectable. Today's "jesters" are outright public nuisances.