The feisty and funny Mr. Hamilton was the leading advocate of abolishing the

British monarchy, which he describes as an "antiquated, irrelevant institution," a symbol and a cause of Britain's decline. Mr. Buckley takes him up on it, and we're off to the races. WFB: "The fact that fifty million Americans got up at seven in the morning to watch Princess Anne get married suggests a considerable fascination that reasonably translates into commerce." WH: "Oh, yes, you're attracted by it, but you damned well got rid of it, and you show no signs of wanting it back." WFB: "We got rid of yours; we've got a dynasty in Massachusetts."