Modesty is best

Am I alone in finding the report of Peter Carter-Ruck's call for less reticence on the part of solicitors in publicising their charitable donations rather worrying? (see [2000] Gazette, 5 October, 5).

My mind immediately went to some words of the greatest giver of all time: 'When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets ...

to be honoured by men.' To publicise how much one is giving seems to me to be yet one more symptom of a society that is all too ready to regard any piece of information as public property, especially if there is considered to be some personal advantage to be gained in broadcasting it.

In my view, we would be a lot better off if there were rather more reticence around, on a whole range of matters.

David G Ager, solicitor, Taunton, Somerset