High Tribute for Roger Scruton

British political conservative, Sir Roger Scruton, has died from cancer at age 75. Though reviled by the British Left, his views were given greater attention than the American Left gives to our political conservatives. Here the Left ignores what intellectuals on the Right have to say.

Ideas for us Americans are incidental to our lives. In England they are the essence of life. Why is that the case and why are so many British intellectuals so very articulate? I think of Christopher Hitchens, for example, who on some topics was quite extreme, but always exciting to hear.

Oxford and Cambridge have an influence, but an equal influence is the great tradition of British grammar schools that educate young Britains before they go to university. Unlike our own public schools that warehouse American students, the British schools bring out the best in their best students.

Roger Scruton was one of those students and he is honored by this tribute by Theodore Dalrymple in City Journal for January 13.