The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-24
rYPOGmAPHICAL ERRORs.

TYPOGHAPHICAL ERRORS.
1t is related of an eminent English pub
fishing firm, that, having noticed the fire.
quent typographical errors which so often
too often, in fact-mar otherwise per-
feet books, they were determined to issue
one book which should be model for all
time, in that it should be free from all er-
rors of this sort. To this end the most ac-
curate compositors were selected, and their
work was read by the most expert of proof
readers. and all errors discovered were cor
rected. Other proofs were taken and the
same process gone through with, if we re-
member correctly, some seven times, the
pages being examined and read, each time,
by different expert. 1t was thought that
perfection was thus secured, but to make
assurance doubly sure, the completed sheets
four or eight at time, were posted in a
public place, there to remain month,
and reward of guinea offered for every
mistake discovered. These sheets were ex-
amined by the most expert and accurate of
proof readers, by the most thorough of
scholars as, also, by others some actuated
by the desire to see a perfect book and
Others by the hope of gaining the reward
We are not told how many errors were dis
covered, or how many guineas were paid
out, but the same process was continued
throughout the whole work, and master
piece was supposed to have been obtained.
This perfection of book was published
| and issued to the world as model, there
was, there could be, no mistakes therein.
For once perfect specimen of Typography,
in all its senses, was in existence, and the
result of care, labor and money was before
| the world. The publishers, who, themselves,
had carefully looked over the printed mat
| ter that there might be no errors, as their
reputation-more than that of the experts
and scholars-was involved in the result,
| opened the book, with certain sort of
| pardonabe pride, and commenced to read
Imagine, if you can, their CONSERVATION
upon finding, Notwithstanding their layish
expenditure of time and money, a most
gross error in the very first line of the first
page, which entirely changed the meaning
and made nonsense, but which had entirely
escaped the notice of the author publishers,
experts, and of the many others who were
seeking after the guineas.
| We have recalled this anecdote to show
how impossible 1t is to avoid typographical
errors, even when the utmost care is taken,
If this is the case with books, how much
more so is it with daily newspapers. In
the one case there is no haste, time enough
can be taken to secure correctness, while
in the other everything Is accomplished in
hurry and turmoil. The copy must be fur
nished, the thousands upon thousands of
little pieces of metal-each representing a
letter, figure, space or mark of punctua.
tion-must be handled, the proof must be
taken, read and corrected, the form madeup,
the entire paper printed and issued within a
few short hours. The trains will not wait
for constant revisions of proofs 80 that per-
feet newspapers may be sent to their des-
tination, and the people, we take it, had
rather have newspaper with Topographic
cal errors in (which their common sense
will corrcct-early in the morning, than
wait till noon or afternoon for a more cor
rect copy thereof. Notwithstanding this.
these plumbers are often Notifying as well
as ludicrous. For example \ few years
ago leading newspaper in New York city,
announced that Rev. DR.. Pond, president of
the Bangor, Me-, theological seminary, was
delivering lectures in New York ''to show
| that MeoIogy scirnUr, ana that mere
is no truth IA 10 toIdteoer." The statement
was copied by the press of the whole coun-
try, and great was the CONSERVATION pro-
duced thereby. The orthodox world was
thrown into ferment, as the very founda-
ton of their faith seemed to be shaken,
when that ablest and most cherished expo
nent had become an inhdel. While the
church was thus troubled, the same paper
came out with an explanation that an ex-
animation showed that the compositor had
changed the word phrenOIogy into theology,
which was overlooked by the proof reader.
All was satisfactory, DIR. Pond was no lon
ger looked upon with suspicion as an in
tidel, and his brethren were disposed to
agree with him in the statement actually
made. Here is another instance. "a rat, y
says st. Louis paper, descending the
river, came into contact with the steam
boat -; and 80 serious was the injury
to the boat that great eXertlons were ne
cessary to save it," Had the compositoI
and proof reader inserted f in the proper
place and made 1t read raft instead of rat,
the sentence would have been sense. We
had similar instance in our own paper
Saturday morning, whereby the substitu
ton of for r, an item was made to read
that a house run away.
A certain smart kind of journalism vent
Hates itself in calling attention to typo
graphical errors in their contemporaries
all unmindful Of the fact that their owl
sheets are full of the same kind of mis-
takes, and that the most painstaking car,
on the part of the proof-reader could mo-
prevent the occurrence Of these errors