He was disorganized, forgetful, perpetually dissolute, and famous for his tremendous benders. One year he missed fifty straight weekly meetings at the Office of Works. His supervision of the office was so poor that one man was discovered to have been on holiday for three years. When sober, however, he was much liked and widely praised for his charm, good nature, and architectural vision. A bust of him in the National Portrait Gallery in London shows him clean shaven {and indeed clean, a slightly unusual condition for him}, with a very full head of hair and a face that seems curiously mournful or perhaps just slightly hungover. Despite
( Bill Bryson )
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