Decline and Fall (1928)

I read a lotta Waugh when I was a schoolboy. I forget which book I started with, but I read enough of them. Decline and Fall* was his first.

Throughout his novels, Waugh demonstrates a good natured cruelty toward the Welsh, whose language and temperament he takes delight in teasing out, advancing for another fifty years various stereotypes associated with Welsh grammar and temperament.

Waugh's Paul has been made a scapegoat and sent down from Oxford a year short of completing his degree. He is hired as a master at a boy's school that, a few weeks after his arrival, hosts a sports day. A "silver band" made up of Welsh locals is booked to play on that day by the school's principal, also known as The Doctor.

"The Welsh," said the Doctor, "are the only nation in the world that has produced no graphic or plastic art, no architecture, no drama. They just sing," he said with disgust, "sing and blow down wind instruments of plated silver. They are deceitful because they cannot discern truth from falsehood, depraved because they cannot discern the consequences of their indulgence. Let us consider," he continued, "the etymological derivations of the Welsh language ..." (66)

Here's an example of that language, as spoken by Waugh's band leader:

"All the afternoon the band I have led of Men of Harlach and the sacred music too look you and they will not give me a penny more than themselves whatever. The college gentlemen whatever if it is right I ask me with a sister-in-law to support look you." (87)

* I have linked the book to its BBC radio reading. I have not listened to all of the reading, but it should be noted that the novel contains use of the "N-word" with respect to Mrs Beste-Chetwynde's companion Mr Cholmondley. My hunch is that Mr Cholmondley and any reference to him was likely left out of the audio version.