“My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna.”
Many people in quoting this, say Venice in place of Vienna.
Gray says in the “Elegy,” “They kept the noiseless tenor of their way,”
usually quoted “the even tenor.”
Pope says, “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” Often misquoted
“knowledge.”
In his “Satires,” Pope says, “Welcome the coming, speed the going
guest.” But Pope himself, in his translation of the Odyssey, says,
“Speed the parting guest,” so that we are left to take our choice.
In connection with this dual reading may be recalled a quotation which
is a misquotation in one way, but not in another. In Habakkuk it is
written, “Write the vision and make it plain, that he may run that
readeth it.” This is commonly turned into the phrase “that he who runs
may read.” But Cooper says in his “Tirocinium,”—
“Shine by the side of every path we tread
With such a lustre, he that runs may read.”
Butler says in “Hudibras,” “He that complies against his will is of his
own opinion still.” Many continue to say, “A man convinced against his
will is of the same opinion still,” regardless of the difference in
sense as well as in words.
_Lorenzo_ says, in the “Merchant of Venice,” “The man that hath no music
in himself,” etc. Commonly changed to “music in his soul.”
The line in Milton’s “Lycidas,” “fresh woods and pastures new,” is
usually misquoted, “fresh fields,” etc.
Prior’s “fine by degrees and beautifully less” is usually rendered
“small by degrees,” etc.
Francis Quarles wrote:
“Our God and soldier we alike adore,
E’en at the brink of ruin, not before;
After deliverance both alike requited,
Our God’s forgotten and our soldier’s slighted.”
Usually quoted:
“God and the doctor we alike adore.”
The latest editor of Burns does a good service by correcting an
absurdity in the most familiar song in the language which has puzzled
every generation since Burns’s death, namely:
“We’ll tak’ a right gude willie-waught
For Auld Lang Syne.”
He says “willie-waught” is neither Scotch nor sense; that the hyphen is
simply misplaced, and the line should read:
“We’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught—”
_i.e._, good-will draught. This is obvious when pointed out, for
“gude-willie” and “ill-willie” are familiar compounds. But it is odd
that every other editor should have servilely followed the misprint.
In the “Heart of Midlothian” (ch. 47), Scott says, “thus our simple and
unpretending heroine had the merit of those peacemakers, to whom it is
pronounced as a benediction, that they shall inherit the earth.” The
Master said (Matt. v, 9), “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall
be called the children of God.” It is “the meek” who shall inherit the
earth.
Sir Walter Scott says in “The Antiquary” (ch. x), “The philosopher who
appealed from Philip inflamed with wine to Philip in his hours of
sobriety, did not choose a judge so different as if he had appealed from
Philip in his youth to Philip in his old age.” This “philosopher” was a
poor old woman.