Letter: Shakespeare, Trueman, caviare and cricket

Sir: Lord Jenkins, in his obituary of Lord Zuckerman (2 April), repeats an old solecism.

When Hamlet says to the First Player, of the play within the play, it 'pleas'd not the million; 'twas caviare to the general; but it was. . . an excellent play', he hardly had chiefs of staff in mind.

His meaning is rather that of Fred Trueman who, after clean-bowling a Cambridge batsman and being congratulated by the latter on 'a damn fine ball, Fred,' riposted: 'Aye - and wasted on thee.'

Yours faithfully,

DAVID KENRICK

London, SW10

2 April