WRITERS' BLUNDERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1840, 14 May 1888, Page 3

WRITERS' BLUNDERS.

An example of what may be called the 1 blunder ridiculous ' is to be foond m one of the most popular of Anthony Trollope's novels The . eighth chapter of 'The Three Clerks' concludes with tbe lines : ' Who should come whietliog up the street, with a cigar m his mouth, bue his new friend Undy Scott.' It is hardly necessary to make use of italics to show the impracticability of anyone whistling , with a cigar m his mouth. It is nothing unusual for a novelist, after he was got well into a story, to take it into bis head to change the name of a character. He ought, however, to careful 1 5 correct the proof before publication, and make the alteration throughout. In Walter Beßant'3 ,# "S.ll sorts and Conditions of Men,' the forewoman of Mias Messengers' dressmakers bears the name of Rebekah Hermitage ; m the latter part of the story her father is introduced as the Rev.. Peicival Armitago. This of course, might arise from a clerical error (no pun intended), and be traced to tho I way m which Mr Besant makes hia capitals. The mistake, it may be mentioned, occurs more than once m a new edition published m 1883, The misplacement of adjectives is a mistake to whioh the author who writes at wbiteheat is singular liable, Henoe, ln imperfeotly revised works we . come across expressions auch bi ' Look at the two first pages' and A new pair of boots, 1 Instead of c The firat two pages ' and ' A pair of new boots.' Even Thackeray, polished writer as he waa, fell Into a similar error, In a paper on the ( Military Snob ' he describes a retired captain, who attempts to live like a gentleman on the ' stipend ot half a tailor's foreman.' The inference, of oourae, la tbat be meant ' half tbe stlpand : of a tailor's foreman.' One of the meet {reprehensible mistakes whioh a writer oan oommit la to begin witb a piece of literary advice, and afterwards allow his work to show the very fault he haa condemned. Soott, In tho opening of the ' Heart of Midlothian,' famishes hla brethren of the oraf t with an invaluable hint. 'The end of Unoert*lnty,' he says, 'is the death of Interest.' Yet all who have read thia splendid novel must acknowledge that it sulfacs from having been spun out after the climax, Had It ended when the uncertainty about tho pardon for Effi 3 Deans was decided, it would have taken higher raqk as a work of literary art. Aa It atanda it proves the truth of the observation of Foster m hla ' Life of Dlokens : ' 'In the treatment of acknowledged literary masierplecea It not seldom happena that the genlns and the art of the master have cot pulled together to the close,' f'rofesßor Edmonstoune Aytorfn, a witty and graceful writer who at ono time ocoupled the chair of rhetoric and English literature m the University of Edinburgh, is responsible for the following anachronism : ' O, tbe blackest day for Scotland chat she ever knew before ! ' It oooura ln tho poem, ' Edinburgh after Flodden.' Those who are acquainted with the writings of that astute literary critic, Mr Yollowplußh, may remember the advice he gave to Bulwer Lyttcn ; 'It's generally beßt ln poatry to understand puffickly what you mean yourself, and io Igßpress your meaning clearly afterwoods — m the simpler words tho bolter, prapß ' That the admonition was not unmerited can be proved by anyone who thooghifally peruses that play of gaudy word-painting, *• The Lady of Lyons.' In j the pioture of tbe home to wbioh he would take her, ' could love fulfil ita prayer.-,' Claude Melnotte tellß Pauline of 'A | palace lifting to eternal suocmer 1 a marble walls,' 'Mighty fine, truly I' bb Yellowplush remarks, ' but let mortlal man tell the meanik of the passldge.' By 1 simply substituting other words, and 1 saying, ' A prison sinking to everlasting J winter ita brick and mortal walls," the I absurdity of the description la at onoe apparent. Exoeptlon also might be taken !to ihe apothegm of the Widow Melnotte : 1 Castles inthe air coat a vast deal to keep up.' Moat people who have tried housekeeping will be Inclined to say that these l are tbe most economical of all establishmenta.