2 APRIL 2005, Page 21

A mean obit

From Damian Thompson

Sir: Terence Monaghan (Letters, 26 March) is cross that I accused the left-wing Catholic magazine the Tablet of printing a sour article marking the death of Alice Thomas Ellis. He argues that, on the contrary, the Tablet ran a generous tribute by her friend David McLaurin.

And so it did — on 19 March, the day that my Spectator article appeared on the news-stands. The week before, on the other hand, it had run precisely what I said it did: a short and mean-spirited obituary.

Damian Thompson London W2