25 SEPTEMBER 2004, Page 35

Spencer's century

From James Young Sir: Your columnist, cheerful Charles Spencer, is justly peeved at being confused with your occasional diarist, the noble lord Charles Spencer. And it must be especially galling for the former when he is vicariously slagged off for the latter's alleged solecisms: in this case for using 'centurion' instead of 'centenarian' (Olden but golden, 11 September).

But both Charlies should take heart, and their anonymous hate-mailer do his homework before putting poison pen to paper. Chambers Dictionary now defines 'centurion' secondarily as 'a person who has scored or achieved a hundred in any way'.

Tames Young

London N1