San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-17
TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS.
Several Examples Of the Havoc Caused by
Misplaced Letter.


Misplaced Letter.
Who Is there, says The London Echo, that
has any claim to the name of author that has
not been shocked or amused, at some time or
other of his existence, by the appearance
in print of word or a sentence that be
has written, which, by the simple change Of
a letter, has turned perhaps a sublime
thought into perfect nonsensei OF course, in
newspapers misprints of this character are to
a certain extent excusable, and particularly
when it is remembered how rapidly they
have to be produced in order to satisfy the
demands Of public ever clamoring for the
livery latest" Still, errors sometimes creep
into the columns of our daily journals for
which there is no accounting-hurry, bad
copy" and everything else considered.
Sir Robert Peel was the victim of a mis-
print in the earlier part Of the present
century, which was contained in one Of the
most ludicrous announcements that ever ap-
peared, perhaps, in a newspaper. Sir Robert
was with shooting party in Ireland, and
the chagrin of the politician may be imagined
when he read that "Sir Robert Peel and
party Of friends are shooting peasants in Ire
land"
Speaking Of Ireland, curious blunder oc-
all absorbing question, wherein it was in
tended to state that "a reduction of rents on
q certain estate was to the tenants a matter
of living and thriving-of life and DEATH"
but the alteration of a couple of words made
it read "a matter of lying and thieving," and
thus somewhat diverted the sense
Poets just budding forth, of an unsuspect-
ing nature, have suffered much from the
confidence they have placed in overworked
proof readers. What must have been the
thoughts of the man who wrote
See, the pale martyr in a sheet Of firel
when he saw his effusion translated
See, the pale martyr with his shirt on fret
OF course the error was discovered by some
lynx eyed reviewers, with the result that the
aspiring poet was momentarily extinguished.
Burns has not escaped the misprint misfor-
tune, for there is an edition of his works well
known to book collectors which contains the
line,
o gin my love were yon red nosel
This is an old substitution-the word "nose"
for "rose'-a passage in one Of the Christmas
books a year or two since, relating that
though young ladies sometimes affected,
through coyness, dislike to De kissed under
the mlstletoe, ''they did not object to it under
the nose"
Misprints of substitution and commission
are not the only errors poets have to reckon
with. Pope had an addition made to some
Authorizations, which gave quite another
color to their meaning. In a note in Meas
ure for Measure" he gave as an authority
'Clnthlo,' dec. nov. 5" meaning eighth
decade and fifth novel, The authorizations
were distasteful to the printer, who altered
tl,n ,,nt, 81 ~
November 9Th"
Numerous other instances, just as ludi-
crous, might be given. For instance, where
railway train is described as running into
COW and cutting it into calves" instead Of
halves" or a soldier is called a bottle
SCARED" instead of battle SCARED" veteran;
or lady is spoken of as having sung very
sweetly Gounod's avenue Maria" and
pianiste entranced her audience by her rem
!ering of celebrated symphony in "A Fat
Iajor." But these suffice. One other form
If error may, however, be mentioned, and
this is that Of mixing up two separate items
y news in the same paragraph.
An instance lately occurred 1t read: "A
large cast iron wheel, revolving 800 times a
llinute, exploded in that city yesterday,
after long and painful illness. Deceased
was a prominent member OF the local tenn
perance association" 80
Printers, however, are only human, and
have the same propensity to err as any other
of their race. So, probably, thought Tom
Moore, when, in his "Fudges in England"
he recounts where
... To please my own aunt had tried
To commemorate some saint of her clique who
had died.
bad ,oI,an 49,, g., hoo-.., III 49,.
tion"
They made it, "he had taken up to heaven his
physician"
request was once sent to rare Ben Jonson
20 revise some proofs full of typographical
errors, but he respectfully declined, and
recommended sending them to the house of
correction. Many all author has wished an
unfortunate proof reader there. no doubt,
ere now.