 McCulloch was the editor of "The Scotsman" of Edinburgh and replied cuttingly in a review printed on the front page of his newspaper in March 1827.He implied that Malthus wanted to dictate terms and theories to other economists.McCulloch clearly felt his ox gored, and his review of "Definitions" is largely a bitter defence of his own "Principles of Political Economy", and his counter-attack "does little credit to his reputation", being largely "personal derogation" of Malthus.