Most people are chuffed to bits to get a mention in the Spectator. But not journalist and author Geoffrey Wheatcroft, whom former Daily Telegraph editor Charles Moore mentioned on October 13 with a reference to writing a cheque and "the Geoffrey Wheatcroft technique of sending it promptly but omitting the date". Ouch! Wheatcroft writes in to say that he has been "puzzling" over these comments "obviously meant to be sarcastic or abusive or something". He then points out that not putting a date on a cheque is meaningless because the recipient can simply add the date and deposit it. "Perhaps this is just an example of 'the Charles Moore technique' of writing a column, or a little welcome variety amid your columnist's somewhat attenuated collection of anecdotes about hunting, Eton and Debo". Back at 'cha, Charles! Monkey can feel a feud in the offing.
