The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

Posted by Smokey Stover on June 06, 2004

In Reply to: You have left undone those things which you ought to have done up posted by Brian from Shawnee on May 31, 2004

: : : "...my poor grandmother once incidentally observing, in the course of an instruction upon the use of the Prayer-book, that it was highly improbable that I should ever do much that I ought not to do, but that she felt convinced beyond a doubt that I should leave undone pretty well everything that I ought to do."

: : : Now, Smokey Stover indicated that grandmother uses here the language of the Common Prayer Book; and indeed that's what it written there:

: : : "We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done."

: : : My question is: What is the origin of the last excerpt? It must be the Bible. But where in the Bible?

: : : Thank you.

: : It is from:
: : THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

: : and Administration of the Sacraments
: : and Other Rites
: : and Ceremonies of the Church
: : Together with The Psalter or Psalms of David

: : According to the use of

: : The Episcopal Church

: :
: : "Almighty and most merciful Father,
: : we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
: : we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
: : we have offended against thy holy laws,
: : we have left undone those things which we ought to have done..."

:
: CJ said that to Reggie Perrin when Reggie left his fly open, on an episode of "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin", which was a BBC show from around 1977 and starring the late Leonard Rossiter.

Sorry to hear that Leonard Rossiter is late. But glad to hear that other phrase-heads were watchers of the show. I don't generally like comedies on TV, or perhaps I should say sitcoms, which suggest less expectation of actual humor. Or humour. But there are perhaps a dozen shows of the humorous or ridiculous ilk sent here in bygone days from the BBC or the ITC that I used to watch with some enthusiasm, and I'm also pleased when someone else shares his enthusiasm--and also the name of the show. The most conspicuous death of such a show was that of the Benny Hill Show, killed by the BBC's fear of being politically incorrect. SS