Mr. Ginsberg and Mr. Buckley

Mr. William F. Buckley, Jr., the politically conservative founder of the magazine National Review, an opinionated intellectual whose views I have sometimes agreed with, sometimes disagreed with, and often not known or cared about but whose skill as a writer I have often admired, died on Wednesday at 82.

Among his other roles, for thirty-three years he served as host and combatant on “Firing Line,” a television program of highbrow discussion and debate.

An article today in The New York Times about Mr. Buckley and his program relates an anecdote told by Richard Brookhiser, a conservative writer and a frequent guest on the program:

And there was the time that Allen Ginsberg asked Mr. Buckley’s permission, in the middle of an episode, to sing a song in praise of Lord Krishna.

“That was a howl–sorry, sorry about the word choice,” Mr. Brookhiser said. “Bill was very gentle with him. He said of course.”

Mr. Ginsberg proceeded to play a long and doleful number on a harmonium, chanting along slowly and passionately, Mr. Brookhiser said. “And when he was finished, Bill said, ‘Well, that’s the most unharried Krishna I’ve ever heard.’ ”