At home with the Gladstone
From Mr Alistair B. Cooke
Sir: It is highly unlikely that a 19th-century Paul Johnson (And another thing, 24 November) would have heard Gladstone's rich baritone singing the famous jingo tune of 1878 with its belligerent message to his Russian friends. The earnest statesman did, however, frequently interrupt dinner parties to demonstrate his mastery of musichall hits. At home Gladstone and his wife were irrepressible. One of their frequent guests, George W.E. Russell, recorded with some surprise 'their custom, in special moments of exhilaration, of standing with arms around each other on the hearthrug, swaying as they sang:
A ragamuffin husband and a rantipoling wife We'll fiddle it and scrape it through the ups and downs of life.
Alistair B. Cooke
London SW1
The Cartoon Art Trust has given Ed McLachlan, Robert Thompson and Nick Newman awards for best cartoons in The Spectator. Jonathan Wateridge was runner-up for best cover award. David Langdon received the lifetime achievement award, and Michael Heath, MBE received the Pont award for the contemporary cartoonist whose work best reflects the British character. The awards were sponsored by Bloomberg.
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