Joe Malchow has the text of Christopher Buckley's eulogy delivered at last week's memorial service at St. Patick's Cathedral:

He was — inarguably — a great man. This is, from a son's perspective, a mixed blessing, because it means having to share him with the wide world. It was often a very mixed blessing when you were out sailing with him. Great men always have too much canvas up. And great men set out from port in conditions that keep lesser men — such as myself — safe and snug on shore.

Read the whole thing here.

I had the experience of meeting William F. Buckley only once, when I sat next to him at a dinner near the end of his life. Every word you have read about him was absolutely true. Although in obviously poor health, he was gracious, witty, kind, and self-deprecating. We talked about Blackford Oakes (and the end to the final Blackford Oakes novel, which I won't spoil here). I don't recall how we got on the topic of Ayn Rand, but the dinner was held in view of Ayn Rand's apartment in New York City and he regaled me with stories about her. Just a marvelous, marvelous man. I wish I had met him more than once, but I thank divine providence that at least I had that opportunity.