“... to lead their own lives. When, later, he was one of the five ministers selected to check whether John Profumo was lying about his relationship with Christine Keeler, Macleod distinguished himself by avoiding his colleagues’ ponderous circumlocutions. ‘Look, Jack,’ he said, ‘the basic question is: “Did you fuck her?” ’ Sadly, Profumo continued ...”

“... a hamper, it was as though the giver were there by proxy: ‘we love … to taste him in grouse or woodcock: to feel him gliding down in the toast peculiar to the latter; to concorporate him in a slice of Canterbury brawn … such participation is perhaps unitive, as the old theologians phrase it.’ And when Lamb himself sent gifts of food: ‘I love to taste ...”