Macaulay and Croker
Sir: In answer to your correspondent David Watkins (Letters, 25 January), Macaulay was a great set-speaker but Croker was better at impromptu debating. That Macaulay's fury at Croker's par- liamentary performances was reflected in the notorious review is made clear by the letter he himself wrote to his sister Hannah in July 1831: . . that impudent leering Croker congratulated the House on the proof which I had given of my readiness. He was afraid, he said, that I had been silent so long on account of the manY allusions which had been made to Caine [Macaulay's own seat, a pocket borough]. Now that I had risen again he hoped that they should hear me often. See whether .1 do not dust the varlet's jacket for him in the next number of the Blue and Yellow. , detest him more than cold boiled veal. The 'Blue and Yellow' was the Edinburgh Review, and the 'next number' was the September issue containing his attack. As the Spectator commented at the time: will be evident that the book has been taken up by one determined to punish the Member of Parliament in the editor.'
Paul Johnson
Copthall, Iver, Bucks
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