[Me, a couple of posts ago, writing about Nevil Shute] Shute … was a great English conservative–a champion of free enterprise, free inquiry, science, and permanent values. One of England’s finest, sadly forgotten nowadays.

[A reader] Derb—What, in your opinion, constitute permanent values?

[Me, replying] Well, first and foremost, there is the value of keeping a stiff upper lip in all circumstances. The rest are pretty secondary.