New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-07
A NEW PSEUDODOXIA EPIDEMICA,"
SOME OF THE MISTAKES COMMONLY MADE BY
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO
KNOW A GOOD DEAL

Good old Sir Thomas Browne nearly $50 years
ago published book which he called PseudcdoXia
Epidemica." It has been more commonly known
as Brownies Vulgar Errors" a glazing miSnomcr,
for tho errors Of which the book treated were not
Sir Thomas's at ALL The author, who was also
a doctor of medicine, took up, one after another,
many supestitions and mistakes that were common
in hts day and explained away each one, to his own
satisfaction at least, though 1t must be admitted
that In the light Of modern science some of his
explanations nearly errat!c as tie errors
themselves. He showed that the phoenix was a
myth and that man had as many ribs as woman,
and by the setting forth Of many more such bits OF
cold fact he displayed largo amount of interesting
Information and common sense. II the old doctor
aimed simply to make delightful book of its kind
he succeeded but If he hoped to Danish error from
the world his success was at best only partial for
that lively old Spenserian dragon sim roams about
with almost as much freedom as it did in 1916.
It is remarkable how many mistakes in REGARD 70
simple matters of fact people carry through life with
them, and how universe al OF these apparently
quite unnecessary errors are. For example. IL
would seem as II most weleducated people. familiar
with English literature, ought to know the names OF
Shakespeare's plays accurately. But do they The
other day four college graduates were discussing tho
question whether one Of the plays was called "A
Winters Tae,7 or "The Winters Tale" and they
decided by vote of three to one. that it was \
would say that the name Of the play usually printed
first In editions of Shakespeare The Temp ST p
but it is not. Such little inaccuracies as these are
to be expected. perhaps, from the general run OF
mankind, but ono would think that, of all people IN
the world. those employed theatres TO do work i'm
plying knowledge of Shakespeare ought 10 have
that knowledge. Yet. the act drop OF one Of the
fashionable theatres OF this city, there painted
scene which, according to the Inscription in large
letters below II, Is from Loves Labor Lost
Leaving the names of plays and coming TO lines
naturally be expected and will he found tho
remarkable point being the unanmity with which
hundreds OF people constantly mlsquotJ the same
familiar passage. II Is common TO hear many people
speak OF the and yellow leaf this sounds like
! a quotation and IS doubtless intended TO be from
Macbeth Act ", Scene ILL.,. but there the words
are: ny May Of life Is falPn info the scar the
yellow leaf one OF the commonest quotations on
English spoakng tongues Is The bourn from which
no traveller returns" yet this Is wrong OF course.
and II It were not so common II would hardly
complimentary tho reader 20 say that II should be
Tho undiscovered country, from whose bourn no
traveller returns
A favorIte line with Americans IS Westward the
star OF empire takes its way" There little error
here The line Is from BISHOP Berkeeys Verses the
Prospect OF Planting Arts and Learning in America
and the whole stanza IS
westward the course OF empire takes lis way;
/ The four first Acts already past.
A hfrh shall close the Drama with the day;
| Tines modest offspring Is the last.
| But perhaps The bishop deserves 10 be mlsquotei
| for using such grammar "The four first Acts.s II
may grieve many know First in war; first IN peace
! and first in the hearts OF his countrymen" is mis-
quotation. The corcct words, Firstiu war. first IN
peace. and first In the hearts of his fellow citizens