New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-01
MANUSCRIPT BLUNDERERS.
PRooF-READING NOT A LOST ART.

PROOF-READING NOT A LOST ART.
A PLEA FOR A mUCM-ABUsED CLAss-THE ERRORS IN
BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS MAINLY DUE To THE
CARELEssNEss OF AUTHORS AND TIE HASTE or
PUBLISHERS.
To the RAZOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: as proof reading one of the Lost Arts2"
This question heard gentleman ask another
Gently In bookstore on Broadway. The two had me
in to buy % book with attractive title, and the
who asked the question had already detected some
typographical errors which had evidently annoyed him,
and lie followed up his query with severe criticisms
the in which great deal Of the proofrcadng
is done at the present day and they went or finally,
without buying the book. because of these At
another time was in publishing Office when gentle
man in to ask 10 see new book, aud, while turn
Ing the leaves inquired whether the proofreadng
had been carefully done for" said he lind Of
the new books have so many typographical in
them that am not willing to place them on the shelves
Of my libary' have noticed too that the newspapers
frequently denouncing the laxity with which
pro0freading is too commonly done, nowadays. II is
natural enough probably for the public generally well
the critics. TO think that it is the prOOfeader who ia
to blame for these apes; at any rate is upon lis head
that all their denuncations fall As member of that
muchabused and ongsufeiing profession rise TO ex
plain and propose to show that by far the larger pCr-
ion of thu errors which are noticed u Tie b3Ohs OF inc
day not Justly 10 be charged To the carelessness or
the oofrcader; but that they are due to causes over
and incompetent pro0treadcIs, am not disposed 10
ueuy but hesitate not to assert that III ali Offices ia
winch there IL competent pr0Ol-rcadcr an ne - not
overcrowded with work. you will find goo prVofroling.
In offices where work is done under price Cneap joan
ally do the work OF two of course 1t woud be useless
10 expect accurate prOofreadins in such offices In
those Offices too, the poorest apprentices
and cramps" usually employed-thrOw "a dcal
Of extra labor the proofrcade for is lar less wore
read for 20 really good compositOrs than Is for hall
the number OF the former class.
%
figure the work lie undertakes To do In tc setting o
err and the proofpaIrs duty il to detect them In
theory the Ms copy Is perfect ana the printer or sttrcO
typcr not being author nor walking encyclopedia
knowledge is bound 10 assume to b. so anu therefore
follow copy is the standing rule in all Offices rae
copy should legbly written TO be easily read 10y
any one even unfamiliar with Tho subject treated; aud 1t
snoud be properly pr pared for the press, t. C., para
an other contriyauccs for display, noted ihs dome iie
proofreader has only to cont, nj WIN tLe bnucf oi e
compassion; and IN the present cohilti"h Oh ,He u'
when you cannot lind one IN hundred WHO Nus served
a regular apprentice snip or thoroughly aimed his
tradethat is as much rs he can aitehd 20 Ifihltd cop
AMI Ms. copy, IL is all the SAM; lHc Wh 0 to aIttdSe
compositOT swailns with errors. lut author ANA pap
Usher know little or nOihing 0f tlS am care Tess anl
have come to think of the proorc der as man wfO
Will correct all the errors in her bo0ks-'he authors a.
wen rs Tie cohlosItor "a ne Eoos 10 ,y
clip off the head OF thistle VIA his cane
Very many authors either don't know how To prepare
their copy properly for the press. OF thcy dO II III c'
less and sl0veny manner. relying upon me prooieLdr
TO correct their plumbers and rs general s ~ every
NJ ,a, INV In ic nl mia ,rt m
their business and the rule follow cufy Brrtrfy
observed, many books would come before the puc
In n curious plight indeed. $500
uSfrattnr Inc mental capacity OF some Of the publish
ers pigeonhce full OF anecdotes but nave space
friend writes odd ever tell you an anccdoe Of
eminent publisher In this city-one whose mime has
been long before the public BOOK of s was BENZ put
through ne press and me happened 10 come into ino Of
fee was reading the proofs complained 10 MN o
fine cnudOu III winch the copy had been put INTO the
compositos' hands, and, in illustration or its defects
drew his attention 10 paragraph IN wicl ut wa on u
religious subject the Holy spirit was peitioned 10 look
Inn what ! shOuld do with such stuf LoOAing at me
with surprise, and with tone OF gentle repIoo he SAID
DO you not read your Bible Where two u three are
gathered together iu my name, there am ia the hldSt
Of you After that, with his BOOKS followed cop ic
gousy" The prolific Of the errors We ilnd
in the new publications OF tine day, is the sloyeniy man
ncr in which the copy is prepared Tor the press. me
writer OF TINS speaks OF what he knows-TT0 Idifiy
half cenuys experience III ana around prhns olc. Is
and states without fear Of contradiction tnat 10 the
sipshod authorship and the careessnes5 Ignorance ana
cupdity of the publishers, may DE attributed ~ idr we
larger part OF these errors IL Is no uncommon tnhs TO
see Ms come into pinng-ollce 80 nieEi9 h tn,o
the most intelligent conposiols empoyeo on y nav ~
have $50 90 il blind" with many words nlevcn solirncs
have counted five compOSl,os stihahs a, pr hi ~
ers desk at one time Nalliig '.eli ,m o ~" as
help them decpher some word III Their copy ms was
th0rs who babbe about good ht!c boys u sIil u ~
wide circle Of readers who appreciate sch dIvs Mne
new book OF his is ready must be rushed through Tue
press with all speed and the concern Wn9h WI" en9ee
10 deliver the plates at the earliest day ana ~ he lowest
price commands the job. This author employs si'il
army of amanuenses to copy out his bOok-'hefe were SIX
difiorent penmen employed on the copy ol thls ,c
nent for the work except caigraphy, ana none U thci
we're remarkable for that-the grammar wac spshoI,
the upctuation ran mad and the paraSrpIs-lhe worn
being for the most part III diaogue-weIe 80 10 SPEAK.
"telescOped," half the time such rubbish as ti7 was
with the most positive instructions to colnpeir ~tnn
two weeks the composites were noS nf ai
SORT 10 read for and htp-cvefying IN hurry-Was
expected to make common sense anu gooh St IL If
such stu-tO edit the work IN iacDesdes s IL ~
the ordinary office He id his pest IN tne te nc
sxvifh all
knew them well as he-and when me book was pun ,
shcd the press from Dan to BeefsheDa aei0uneeu ~,
proofreader the they discovered VINO "s the
real culpriti The publisher -, 800 ,. On ocaoa
with the most positive instructions from the publisher
TO drive it out immediatey,t must be done III TWO
ueeks The copy would be placed In tine cOnpOsit1rs
hands but when the proofs came before the PROOF
he soon discovered that to print ne book ~ he
In which il had been in would inure D0th author ana
nubsher-so the copy had to be sent back Tor ievsiS
Tor patent enough to both aathor anu a If
the proofreader volunteer these suggestions My uu
he let them go on and BRING OUT d 1e nroaby
emily condition in which II came 70 MN nc pv en-,
saved the publishers several hundred dollars anu oc
but chat aid he gain by It'll Had he been D. D. an
N d. or "A Member OF Congress, he would propaDy h.se
Dee hnt beinc only a proofreader it OF no sort
If consequence" and he, probably did not receive
have seen rs copy come into printingofiee from
"enteprsng" publishers to be printed ho aSn n
from the paper-mill is fit 10 be used III ihe nori
ing edition OF THE TRIBUNE But win ae wan,d
rsnd II carefully" Bah Publishers OF this canpe,
shonld have been shoemakersl Messrs Autn9fs anu "a,
pTsbers IL Won would have your books correctly print
ed have YOUR copy properly prepared the press before
il goes into the hands of the conposof au sno You
nr,oter or sereoyper time enough TODD the WORK proper
and nav enough TO bic him 10 devote time anu aic
10 The proofreading- indlspensaDe a,d
Mn are at work to-day at that businessmen OF
ence too-who get no higher wages than common nou
aud Won may count your fingers the number
OF those who well paid as p,i'ei,s
ar nasterers And yet what responsive position ~ ~
that the reader holds How easily tic careless
mess on his part may involve his employer N serious loss
The onalifeafons good proOf-rcadng demands are not
acnurcd i'm n few weeks. good prOoi-fender shouu DC
Thoroughly educated printer he should besides nav
soad edncafion-the more the betterhe should KNOW Tue
odaru and something of Latin ana DE wen