jueves, 9 de agosto de 2012

Clementine and Winston

10 Downing Street,
Whitehall

June 27, 1940

My Darling,

I hope you will forgive me if I tell you something that I feel you ought to know.

One of the men in your entourage (a devoted friend) has been to me & told me that there is a danger of your being generally disliked by your colleagues and subordinates because of your rough sarcastic & overbearing manner — It seems your Private Secretaries have agreed to behave like school boys & 'take what's coming to them' & then escape out of your presence shrugging their shoulders — Higher up, if an idea is suggested (say at a conference) you are supposed to be so contemptuous that presently no ideas, good or bad, will be forthcoming. I was astonished & upset because in all these years I have been accustomed to all those who have worked with & under you, loving you — I said this & I was told 'No doubt it's the strain' —

My Darling Winston — I must confess that I have noticed a deterioration in your manner; & you are not so kind as you used to be.

It is for you to give the Orders & if they are bungled — except for the King, the Archbishop of Canterbury & the Speaker, you can sack anyone & everyone — Therefore with this terrific power you must combine urbanity, kindness and if possible Olympic calm. You used to quote:— 'On ne règne sur les âmes que par le calme' — I cannot bear that those who serve the Country and yourself should not love as well as admire and respect you —

Besides you won't get the best results by irascibility & rudeness. They will breed either dislike or a slave mentality — (Rebellion in War time being out of the question!)

Please forgive your loving devoted & watchful
Clemie


I wrote this at Chequers last Sunday, tore it up, but here it is now.

2 comentarios:

  1. Ay, la Clemie. Y el dibujo. My dear...
    Ya conocía esta carta deliciosa. Uno de los aspectos que lograron fascinarme de Churchill es que, siendo tan vital como era, no se le conocen aventuras de "faldiller". Ya debía gastar toda su energía en el poder y sus perversiones.
    Por cierto, es un pintor notable; nunca había aprendido, ni se le había pasado por la imaginación, hasta que vio pintando a una amiga, en Chequers, le gustó la idea, y se dedicó a ello por su cuenta. Da la impresión de ser de aquellos genios que sobresalen de natural en todo. Tampoco fue a la universidad, y era un estudiante de secundaria muy mediocre.

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    1. Yo no la conocía y me ha sorprendido. En realidad todo hombre, grande o pequeño, no es (no somos) más que el mascarón de proa de una mujer sensata.

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