…I have made a habit of offering praise whenever I see something that pleases me.

On a good day, while out and about, I may compliment a dozen people in passing.

— Madam, you have rather beautiful shoes.

— What a charming coat, miss.

— Those spectacles suit you remarkably well.

— An utterly splendid coat — one can see the attitude in it.

— That is a most distinctive hat, quite exceptional.

— Your hair colour is truly magnificent, madam.

— The cut of your coat is absolutely perfect; I would not alter a thing.

— Those trousers are in the most extraordinary tweed — they fall like mist over the islands.

— Oh! You’re wearing Vitalia. How delightful to see someone still does. Classics are not always in fashion, but they are eternally stylish.

— Good Lord, what a beautiful opal. Someone must have been deeply in love — one does not buy such a thing otherwise.

I hold that when one points out what is good, people tend to wear it more often.

And in doing so, one’s surroundings become rather better.