Several readers have asked questions along these lines:

Do you share John Derbyshire’s belief that females are only
desirable to look at nude from the ages 15 to 20?
http://www.nationalreview.com/derbyshire/derbyshire.asp
The lack of a rebuke on The Corner suggests that no one at the
Review has a problem with his expressed sentiment, despite the
fact that acting on such desires would be against the law in 47
of 50 states.
As you might have guessed, I find his comment appalling.

Me: I disagree with Derb on this, but I’m not appalled because I have a more generous disposition toward the spirit with which I think Derb offered the observation. But for the record, there are a great many women over the age of 20 I would like to see naked. If the cast of Desperate Housewives disrobed, for example, I would not turn my head and shriek in horror “My eyes! My eyes! Turn it off!”

This, of course, is a conversation fraught with peril for the married man — and the family-friendly website — which may be the main reason I have not engaged Derb on the subject.

As for his comment about 15 year-olds. Well, I think he’d recently been discussing Lolita so maybe that was on his mind. I also think the readers’ comment that “acting” on such desires would be illegal begs too many questions. But let’s just say that in fifteen years time, I don’t think I will need to watch Derb like a hawk when my daughter’s around. But, I probably will anyway.