21 AUGUST 1999, Page 26

Dook's premature death

From Mr Roderick MacLean Sir: Congratulations to Bevis Hillier on 'A master with two mistresses', (Books, 7 August), which I read with great interest despite being a lifetime confirmed non-fan of Wilkie Collins. However, I do have one nit to pick. He writes that in 1842 Collins wrote to his friend Charles Ward about `The Dook', wondering what sort of funeral it would be. He was either a shade prema- ture as the Duke died on 14 September 1852, or perhaps a Spectator gremlin insert- ed 1842 for 1852.

Roderick MacLean

4/8 Belhaven Place, Edinburgh