Devonshire

I decided that I wanted to read Brian Sewell's autobiography when it occurred to me that he must be one of the last among those who started life as a "queer"  (Oh, dear) and became eventually "gay" (Hooray).  Besides I enjoy his columns.  As I was seated at my laptop I checked with Amazon and found that they were selling at £15 as opposed to the published price of £25.  These are hard times so I wrote in our password ("Bollocks") clicked the mouse three times and behold the book is now winging its way towards me.
 I really wanted to buy it from my local bookshop to help it keep going, but laziness and cupidity won me over.  I note also that Heywood, Hill are selling it at £25 and this set me to thinking about the current Duke of Devonshire who owns the shop and where his aunt, Nancy Mitford, worked during the war.  It used to be run by a most charming and erudite man called John Samurez Smith who made browsing a priviliged pleasure and who suddenly left after many years of service to the top people who all received hand written bills which were only paid after long delays.
This raises the question, "Is Devonshire a shit?" He certainly has odd ideas about the House of Lords and has spoken of renouncing his title as the days of the aristocracy are over.  Does anyone on the list know him?  Dropping in on the bookshop in Curzon Street used to be a delight.  It was an oasis of calm away from the bustle of the rest of London. It is still selling books there but it is not the same without John.