Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-02

henry w ard Beecner says deeiueoly
good thing every once in while. Not long |
ago, while reading the customary nosiccso /
meetings to his congregation at Plymouth |
Church, be came across one scrap OF man-
uscript that bsflied his ingenuity to disci-
pher. After wrestling with the hero
glyphics for some time, be declared them
beyond his ken. The 'sY. N. z. A."
were going to have watch night services
some where some time, but whether it was
that week or any day during the three
hundred and sixty-fve he couldn't say,
on the authority of The paper before him.
which be said was a nice specimen of
notice, and he thereupon read severe
lsssont to the careless scribe who had scrib-
bled it. 1t showed gross carelessness, said
Mr.. Beecher, and although carelessness was
not a penitentiary ofIense, it was one OF the
Yermin of life which no man ought to carry
about with him. The San Francisco Ef-
eanaiher heartily agrees with Mr. Beecher.
If there is any class Of people in this world
| that deserve execration and incarceration,
1t is the habitually careless class; and The
editor Of the Examiner confesses that be
speaks with peculiar feeling on this subject,
because there is no one of the petty annoy
ances of life that does so much to make the
editor grsy-haired or bald-headed
as tho care.essness of those with
whom or with. whose writings he must
come in daily contact. The errors OF man
uscript are particularly vexing, even the
chirography of educated and cultured
people narrowing his soul By reason OF its
illegibility or incoherence, through the omis-
sons of words and sometimes the want OF
ideas, that he must rack his brain to sup
ply. Geography and cseology are among
the commonest faults Of even professed
writers for the press, and much OF the
writing of the most reputable literary peo-
pie submitted 70 an editor, would not, with
out his careful supervision, be fit for publica-
ton: for even the best ideas must be well
dressed, or they viii fail to find appreciation
among readers. a great portion of the
blame cast upon the "intelligent compost
tor" belongs to the careless reporter or
other slovenly penman, whose blunders
discovered at the moment of going to press
defy the combined efforts of the efficient
proof-readers and experienced editors tc
repair. Then when the paper is printed
and the lusty young Bohemian sees BIZ
splendid period mangled and his tint
poetic idea ruthlessly rsvished, he vent:
, his indignation and anger upon the stu
MD type-sstter or. the internal proof
reader, instead of accepting for himself tn
consequences of his own bad habits. VIZ
are of one mind with Chesterfield that nc
gentleman's educationis complete who can
not and does not write legible hand; ant
: we have no patience with those diplomae'
Young writers for the press who pretend
, contempt for these small matters, and FIRE
2 quently leave their reputation as hterar
men at tie mercy of compositors and col
rectors ofthe press, who are sometime
] sorely tempted to strain the quality OF mel
2 cy. We could preach sermon on Id
: text of Beecher's remark, but content ou
r selves now with paragraph or two, and
e as Capt. Cuttle's guide, philosopher an
t friend used to say, ''the bearings CT tn
j ere observation is in the application ont