Sir William Beveridge

Sir William Beveridge wrote the Beveridge report which set up the basis for establishing a welfare state in Great Britain. At the time the report was issued, he and Evelyn Waugh met. The Earl of Longford, who was also present,  recorded this exchange for posterity:

 Later that day or the next day I asked him to come to lunch. I was meeting with Evelyn Waugh, an old friend and famous writer. They did not get on at all well. Evelyn Waugh said to him at the end, "How do you get your main pleasure in life, Sir William?" He paused and said, "I get mine trying to leave the world a better place than I found it". Evelyn Waugh said, "I get mine spreading alarm and despondency"--this was in the height of the war--"and I get more satisfaction than you do".

Waugh was playing it up a bit here but he has a point. There is something deeply wrong with any person who says they get their pleasure trying to make the world a better place. A good spit in the eye was just what was called for. Thank God for Evelyn Waugh.