Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-25

From EnOWIedge

xrOin hnOWledge.
We do not know Mr.. G. Washington Moon,
the self-apnointed guardian of the English Ian.
gua.e personally but we should imagine he
must be a troublesome person to converse with
If not his works belle him. We picture him
speaking-in the ordinary converse of life
somewhat as in the following imaginary
scene:
Traveller (meetins Mr.. Moon)-Can you ten
me, sir, where this road goes?
Mr.. Moon (oside).-He should have said.
eff you can. ,oiH you tell me?' (AJoudD. Sir,
the road does not go anywhere, it remains al
ways here.
CHARACTERIZATION me. 1 should have said,
Nv here does this road lead?"
Mr.. MoOn.-TO lead sir is to 90 before
20 guide. (oide Webster, Worcester. and Wal
ker especially Walker) The road cannot 90
before you.
Traveler.-l perceive, sir. you are precise. /
want to know where 1 shall arrive if / follow
this road?
Mr.. MoOn.-YOu cannot follow that which ia
at rest. for the word foAoo-
Trayeler.-ExcHse me- my time Is limited.
Where shall | arrive if / travel on this road?
Mr. MOon--YOur query is wanting in prpcis-
Ion. Where you arrive will depend principally
On the duration of your progression.
Traveller (dtter q pduse) Surprising should
walk upon this road at a rate Of saw four
miles per hour, during. let us suppose, two
hours, what are the various places through or
near which my walk will bring me3
Mr.. MOOn.-This isv very painful There are
no less than seven mistakes of the most glaring
Kind in the sentence you have just spoken Your
use OF the word ''suppOsing" is quite inaccurate
Who are supposing? Then having already used
the word once. you should not have used IL
again in the same sentence. Again, what does
Say mean? Also why use the latin word per-
Wnen IN an would have served your purpose?
You speak of udI-i0us places. But the word
various so used. is quite unmeanng. If 1t were
not redundant it would be incorrect for the
word various implies that the objects to which
1t Is applied vary from each other. Now, the
places through which you have to pass NAV for
aught you know. be precisely alike. Further.
you should not have said my walk" but my
walking" The word bring" also. is inapprO-
pirate. i will go home and write an ESSAY on
each OF the questions which / have raised re-
specting your incorrect language; and
lraVeier-ln the meantime, will you kindly
tell me what want to know?
Mt MOon( dside) - He does not mean sin the
meantime. but before that Aloud No sir;that is
~hat you should tell me. Not to speak of tell
ing you, how can even learn what YOU want
10 Know, when you fail to express Yourself in
terms at once clear and accurate Permit me
70 quote ior your edifcaton passage from the
preface TO my treatise on the ..Revisers' Eng
lish. THE mind which allows itself comma
Gently to dehght"-
Traveller How about tautology7 (He GOES
upon has ,cay-)
Mr. MOOn--( aside. A most mex act ex
pressiOnD Understand sir, that in what write
no one has ever yet detected imperfections-
"cOmplacently TO delight" / say (raisino his
rosce) in anything below the highest standard
OF excellence, Is thereby dwarfing its faculties;
for (touir) we become assimlated to that
which we worship. and (sto,1ting) [wel are en-
n0bled or debased by the influence of that upon
which our minds dwell with satisfaction" He
Is beyond hearing; will write a series of letters
Tor Public Opinion. and point out his multtu-
dinous errors. ,cia be heard; he shall Saxon,
sceGtGn) listen to me-