The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-09-09
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or IneonsIdsrst.

| Passing Comment Considered or ineonsidersts |
An advertisement for book of quotations lists
interesting examples of familiar sayings that
fail to agree with their originals. Carl Van Doren
says, with truth, that "the most familiar quotations
are the most likely to be misquoted" And yet it is
remarkable that it should be
What is true of quotations is true of words: the
most common words are those most commonly mis-
pronounced COnsder,-now as we approach the great
intellectual endeavor Of the colleges known as the
football season,-he ever recurrent Offence and
Defence. An educated man will speak of Research
and of DEtour. A motor salesman probably PhD)
will speak of ASSESSories, eliminating the k-vaIue
of his first c.
We have mentioned in this spot at least
occasion the caamitous misquotation of Herbert
Hooyer's comment effort to enforce national
prohibition. Hoover said that this effort was IAN
interesting experiment" He added that it noble
in motive" Ever since Hoover has been regarded
the author of the phrase 'the noble experiment"
And, Of course, Hoover didn't say any such thing
Emerson once said thai "a foolish consistency is
the hobgoblin of little minds" Please notice that
the operative word in that statement the adjective
foolish Yet nine out Of ten who quote Emersons
saying. leave out the most important word of all,
and say that consistency is the hobgoblin of little
minds whereas, in truth consistency is the very
first requirement of great minds. The foolish con-
sistency of which Emerson speaks is mere business
such as the consistency Of the man who won't wear
Homburg with dress suit, who carefully re
frains from any rreguarty in incidental routine
Some people not of the faith find objection to
such prayers the Rosary in which the Hail Mary
is said again and again they cry out against vain
IL
ing that this repetition is not al all pain repetition
The critics here actually ignore the word they pro-
nounce, and assume that any repetition is vain rep
ettion, which is far from the ease
How frequently do we hear the remsrk,-when
people comment on what appears to he unneeded
elaboration, This is gliding the lily Here is a
msquotation with vengeance II is twisted ver-
sion of part OF line from Shakespeare king John
Act iy, Scene p who says:
To sild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw perfume the violet
To smooth the ice, add another hue
Unto the rainbow, with taper-liEht
To seek the beauteouS eye of heaven to Rarnsh
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
Another Shakespearean misquoaton is Alas,
poor Yorick knew him we'll Horato" There is no
nell in the original, which runs:
Alas poor Yorick knew him, Horatio;
fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent
fancy Hamlet Act, v, Sc. y
Abraham Lincoln is often quoted as saying,
Never change horses when crossing stream"
This is indeed approximately the sense Of what he
said which was 1T is not best 10 swap horses while
crossing the river There is foolish consistency"
in minute accuracy az quotation; a man has said
what he has said II lis not only inaccurate but un-
just TO put words into his saying which he himself
did not put there.
Very frequently one hears that "pride goes be-
fore fall" What Scripture says proverbs xvi, 18)
is, Pride goeth before destruction and the spirit
is lifted up before fall" A non.Catholic version
reads, Pride goeth before destruction and a
naughty spirit before fall"
Sometimes misquotation occurs by omission Of
essential words, not by putting in new or extra
words Bulwer Lytton dn Richlieu Act it, Sc D
SAYS, Beneath the rule of men entirely great the
pen is mightier than the sword How often do we
hear he phrase "the pen is mghtier than the sword"
without the essential qualification, beneath the
rule of men entirely great This is mSquotation by
omission, 1t recalls the silly argument proposed by
some dim-wit who said that Scripture tells us there
is no God, and cited Psalm IL. The first verse OF
the Psalm is this, The fool hath said in his heart:
there is God"
The list in The advertising folder mentioned
the night before Christmas and all through the
house )" for Twas the night before Christmas
phea all through the house :" Music hath
charms TO soothe the savage beast which is mis-
quote from Congreve's Music hath charms to soothe
the savage breast to soften rocks or bend knotted
oak Cfhe Mourning Bride Act i. Sc. D. The phrase
"A poor thing, but my own is misquote from
As You Like II (Act v, Sc. ~, AN illfavoured
thing, sir, but mine own
root Of all evil" What ST Paul says If Timothy vi
l0) is The desire of money is the root Of all evils "
The nome Caholic version is the lore of money:
yet the word desire" is far more accurate render
ing of the original and precisely agrees with st.
Thomas Aquinas's splendid reasoning on the point
Next time you hear person say, I'll tell you
exactly what he said these were his very
words, you had better not rely the quotation I'M
less IT is backed by taperecordng nj the original
n Very nennr In lie wka 4hov