piezīme: Peter O'Shaughnessy writes: Mike Martin's fine tribute to my brother, Brian O'Shaughnessy (obituary, 15 July), made no mention of the influence of our doctor father. "A doctor need never want," was a saying that Mum used to throw at Dad in the early 1930s. Well, we did want. Often we were flat broke and unable to pay the rent.

During one year, our family was evicted from five or six boarding houses or hotels. For Brian and I, there were usually consolations, even delightful bonuses, to set against these evictions: the change of domicile could be a romantic adventure, and the subject of being "kicked out" a matter for jest and derision. Sometimes Mum had to flutter a cautionary hand for us to stifle our giggles as we ducked below the window line when creditors rang the doorbell.

Dad had a few books on Sigmund Freud and Arthur Schopenhauer. In later years, I came to think that he was a philosopher manqué. He kindled these interests in my young brother, as Brian himself acknowledged when he dedicated his first book, The Will, to our father.