From Lynn & Jay (1981) “Yes Minister” p133

Today I attempted to explain the new system to Sir Humphrey, who effectively refused to listen. Instead, he interrupted as I began, and told me he had something to say that I might not like to hear. He said it as if this were something new!

What he actually said to me was: “Minister, the traditional allocation of executive responsibilities has always been so determined as to liberate the Ministerial incumbent from the administrative minutiae by devolving the managerial functions to those whose experience and qualifications have better formed them for the performance of such humble offices, thereby releasing their political overlords for the more onerous duties and profound deliberations that are the inevitable concomitant of their exalted position.”

I couldn’t imagine why he thought I wouldn’t want to hear that. It was rivetting. Presumably he thought it would upset me – but how can you be upset by something you don’t understand a word of?

Yet again I asked him to express himself in plain English. This request always surprises him, as he is always under the extraordinary impression that he has done so. Nevertheless, he thought hard for a moment and then, plainly opted for expressing himself in words of one syllable. “You are not here to run this department,” he said.