Love and the English

Imaginary dialogue between the author and an average reader

(if he or she exists)

Reader: How have you selected the typical lovers of each age?

Author: There is no such thing as a "typical" or "average" lover in any age. Love is always unique. There are, of course, behaviour fashions followed by conformists, but every century has produced remarkable, one might say timeless lovers; the essence of love does not change - only the situations with which it has to grapple.

Reader: What prompted you to write about Love and the English in the first place?

Author: I was practically goaded into it while I was preparing Love and the French. A cultured Continental friend wrote to congratulate me upon the subject I had chosen, adding: "Of course, it would not have been possible to write a similar book on your countrymen. A magazine article would cover their amorous heritage, would it not?" What a challenge! Since then, I regret to say that I have found many people like yourself, here at home, whose doubts need to be dispelled.

Reader: Has the book been written, then, in a partisan spirit?

Author: I hope that my native sense of humour has prevented me from doing that. No - this book in defence of neglected love and forgotten lovers has been written for your pleasure and, incidentally, for mine; I have enjoyed writing it, and I hope that you will enjoy reading it. I need hardly point out that there are scores of omissions. Every one of the six chapters in this book could have easily been expanded into at least one volume, with contributions by a team of experts including a historian, a philosopher, a poet, a doctor, a sociologist...

Reader: The result would have been an encyclopaedia!