Now let us not press too far, and so embarrass ourselves. England is not Sodom reborn, though the tales you might hear of our schools, carryings-on in the Royal Navy and capers of the nobility might lead you to believe otherwise. My cousin Winnifred has often been heard to remark that curiosity is a healthy trait,…

"Released" in fact, but why draw attention to- oh.

I suspect that my consciousness is here protected only by my welcome ignorance as to the definition of a single word. Still, the meaning is clear. And so:

Oh dear… I arrived resolved that I would work to dispel the rumours of prudishness that seem doomed to be laid at my era's feet like the spoils of a war won with reserve and fine manners, but now I must confess that the constant references to 'affairs' have had an effect something very like that which we discuss. Oh…

Oh really!

(Shudders, faints)

I believe you will find that the Pope (in Rome) led the charge in bringing such matters into the main stream, as it were. God save us all from vile old holy men and their incessant depravities! A Mrs. S. of my acquaintance whose family deals in horses claims to have fled Naples due to over-persistent 'demands' upon…

Good lord, it simply won't do. Will you apply yourselves, gentlemen? If you insist on being unutterably coarse, at least put some effort into it, as Lord Byron is rumoured to have said. I am afraid this simply isn't up to the vapour-inducing standard to which I have become accustomed. Why, this weak porridge…

So much fuss about a practice which, though shrouded in the obscuring mists of delicacy, is nonetheless common practice, at least amongst the upper echelons of society. Yes, yes, there is a certain amount of ignorance about 'country matters', most especially where the fairer sex is involved, but this rests chiefly…

I think that Mr. O'Neal has lost weight during his excursion! How marvellous- but no, I see it is only that more of his hair has gone. Well, good to have you back, sir, whatever your reduced circumstances.

Normally I greatly enjoy, by dint of my former occupation as governess, correcting grammar, but in this case it must be granted, however reluctantly, that (and here I approach my point) I feel that the aforementioned task cannot, in all good conscience, fall to me.

How smashing it is to see you again, sir! If I am honest, I must confess that I suspected your absence would be protracted, relating as it did to matters which, through the auspices of the mechanisms I employ for cross-temporal communication, are known to me, but are not yet known to all and sundry. Please do rest…

I spent several hours realigning my temporal-etheric apparatus so that I might view two filmed entertainments that had been brought to my attention- 'Laserblast' and 'Werewolf'. Both were quite wretched, and were further marred by the presence of a lout and two capering mechanical imps which made near-constant…

This news has ruined my week. He was a wonderful man and a fine actor.

Good Lord in heaven, blessed faithful who attend and all the Host besides, it most certainly is not me. Even granting me the longevity to persist even into your era, I would be withered quite beyond all recognition, and not the wickedly improper, wanton young creature to which you refer… alas.

Why you lustful wantons! What sort of language is that for young women to employ? What if your husbands, or barring that fathers, or at the very least stern and mannish governesses should chance to peruse, however casually, your bacchanalian fantasies writ for all and sundry? And what kind of Adonis could inspire…

Do try to take it like a man, sir.

The final chapter of a trilogy always feels somewhat stale. I feel his creativity reached its apex with the second entry in the series. One hopes he will have the good sense to avoid any prequels!

If this were so, he would have remained at the helm of 'the Hobbit'.

Your observations and predictions are astute and well-taken, but, as with poor doomed Cassandra, I fear they will be disregarded by those with the power to change this course until it is far, far too late.