The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-08-05
BLUNDERS IN PRINT.


type.
In the present case we may group
under it few examples Of the more
common errors in print, not only of those
directly attributable to the printer, but
also of the mistakes resulting from a
| loose style of composition, as well Is
those which may occasionally creep into
the copy" even Of the careful in the
hurry Of writing FOR the press. Both
writer and printer no doubt repudate
them, but the disinterested will probably
decide that each is responsible for
share.
In speech on temperance, not very
long ago, Sir Wilfrid Lawson was re
ported 10 have alluded to the 'ts, lit OF
retieence that exalteth nation" but, OF
course, the teetotal baronet had used the
word Righteousness" where ''reticence'
did duty. This mistake was doubtless
due to the similarity of the consonantal
outline for the two words in the system
CT shorthand most generally employed.
III the course of a discourse on the Holy
Land recently, a lecturer said that, al
though improvements in this respect had
come into operation in all other parts OF
the world, the Eastern traveller still re-
tains his sandals, and next morning wa
horTiiied to find himself asserting in 4
local print that the Eastern traveller
still lie his Snnprals
An orator, in describing the enthusi-
assn with which speech of his had been
received made use OF the expression, cat
that moment the shouts of ten thousand
Democrats rent the air. But the pic
ture was presented in somewhat modi-
fed form to the readers Of the Journal
which printed it, AT that moment the
shouts of ten thousand Democrats rent
the air.
1t might possibly be difficult to decide
whether the writer or printer was in En-
ror when a leading London daily made
Lord Derby quote the poet thus:
"That clnaX of all earthly ills,
The inflammation of Our weekly bills.
An absurd blunder appeared in the
parliamentary report of the daily 7ele
graph on the occasion of Mr. Gladstone's
resolutions on thers FERN policy of Lord
Beaconsfeld's g6e. iment. There q
right honorable genti man was represen-
ted as accounting for ,1ie action OF
another member of the hAuse by the
statement that he had 'sat at the feet of
the Gamebrd of Birmingham" an al
lusion to his perception which was not
ineligible as the rendering of other
journals, "the Gamaliel of Birmingham. :
Perhaps Irish reporters, owing to the
recognized tendency of the soil and eli
mate, are privileged in matters Of this
kind. One of them, in describing the
result of recent conflict between the
police and the people in which firearms
were used, writes: "In the union in
Urinary lies John Smith with his shat
tered | g, which was amputated on Tues
day last" Ordinary mortals might have
imagined that the surgeons would have
caused the shattered member to be re-
moved from the immediate vicinity OF
the crippled patient. That Ireland has a
strict monopoly OF this class of compost
ton can hardly be sustained if this be
correctly credited to Glasgow papers
account of ii shipping disaster: "The
captain swan ashore, as did also the
stewardesS. She was insured for three
Thousand pounds, and carried two hun
dTed tons of pig iron.
Nowhere are more ludicrous blunders
to be met with than in the compositions
OF advertisers, due, no doubt, in some
measure, to the restraint imposed by
limited space, AMI it is scarcely possible
to look through the columns devoted to
these in any of the principal daily papers
without meeting numerous instances of
the inability of MANY persons to state
exactly what they want, and of very
loose use of words and phrases, fire.
quentiy giving rise to amusing ambiguity.
Thus some one advertising i'll the London
Times announced that two sisters want
washing while some one else in the i'll
tereSt of an cnfant terrible required "a
handsome Shetland pony suitable for
child with a long name and tail Every
body has heard of the lady whose idea
of her own physique is ingeniously con-
vcyed III the intimation that she has for
disposal "a splendid ladys gold watch
1t is not alone splendid ladies" who
part with their watches in this way, for
every day the public are informed,
through the same medium, that there is
for sale an excellent lady's gold watch
"a beautiful lady's watch,' or "a small
| god-faced lady's watch.' Women of
peculiar personal appearance, too, &C.
| casionaily engage in barter OF this class,
| for recently 4 purchaser was wanted for
a "black highly ornamcnted lady's fan.
When the vender is of the other sex
we have for sale ga massive gentleman
gold chain, "a most reliable gentle
mans gold watch" or "a rich gentle
mans gold chain" No doubt some OF
those who adopt this style Of expression
are ready TO enter into a defense of it by
an argument respecting adjectives and
their re lation to nouns. But what excuse
| will be advanced by the author of the
following, which appeared few months
ago in the London Times, showing on the
part of the advertiser some extraordinary
ideas respecting horse flesh. I" Fer sale
a four wheeled covered business horse
and car Wanted a plane by lady
with modern legs has before nov met
TIE public eye. Can that lady have
emigrated? There is a strong suspicion
that il is her hand which is seen in the
charming composition: . y piano for sale
by a lady who is about to proceed on Il
long voyage in a walnut case" etc.
| What is the nationality Of the author
of this announcements which was pub
lshcd in Manchester newspaper? y
foreign gentleman could be received into
tho house Of n gentleman who is DESTROYS
to learn English cOnversationally. and
would have all home comforts Here is
another: " \ vacancy occurs for a little
girl III the family of Il notLerly lady le-
quiinG kind but firm treatment An
advertiser in the London Stal,dard cyi-
IDENTITY thinks beast of burden may en-
indifferent moral character when liz