An advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force

The Dowager Duchess, indeed, was there – she had promptly hastened to her son’s side and was living heroically in furnished lodgings, but the younger Duchess thought her mother-in-law more energetic than dignified. There was no knowing what she might do if left to herself. She might even give an interview to a newspaper reporter.

...

‘It’s no good, Murbles,’ he said. ‘Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force.’

D.L. Sayers, Clouds of Witness (1926), 83 and 267

Ritualists had odd ideas about the truth

It [his face] looked honest, but you could never tell. According to local report the Vicar was a ritualist, and ritualists had odd ideas about the truth. They would, for instance, subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles and unblushingly invent ingenious ways to get round them.

D.L. Sayers, 'Shocks for the Inspector' in The Detection Club, The Floating Admiral (1931), 94

The deceased was a Russian by birth, and therefore excitable

He did not attempt to disguise his own opinion, which was that the deceased had taken his own life. ... Various motives had been suggested, and the jury must bear in mind that the deceased was a Russian by birth, and therefore excitable, and liable to be overcome by feelings of melancholy and despair. He himself  had read a great deal of Russian literature and could assure the jury that suicide was of frequent occurrence among the members of that unhappy nation. We who enjoyed the blessing of being British might find that difficult to understand, but the jury could take it from him that it was so.

D.L. Sayers, Have his carcase (1932),  277