JF Ptak Science Books   Post 1951
 

The series, “The Book-Lover’s Library”, edited by Henry Wheatley, included this work by the editor:  Literary Blunders, a Chapter in the History of Human Error, which was published by Elliot Stock in London in 1893.  Its chapter headings are inviting: “Blunders in General”, “Blunders of authors”,  “Blunders of Translators”, “Bibliographical Blunders”, “Lists of Errata”, “Misprints”, “Foreigners’ English”, and what turns out to be of the highest interest, to me: “Schoolboys’ Blunders”.  Now admittedly some of the humor in recounting errors comes down a very long nose, and with a dryness exceeding the terms to describe “dry”–but the chapter on the blunders of children comes to us with a good nature, and is genuinely entertaining, and delightful. 

It reminds me at once of Maurice Sendak (with Ruth Krauss in A Hole is to Dig) and Ambrose Bierce (Devil’s Dictionary), and even a little bit of lemon-flavored Menckenosia (The American Language), though the author assures us that the examples he charitably shares are true, and in spite of some of their high and unintentional wit are all the work of children.  This would make make the selection a sort of Borgesian/Biercian Sendakian insight of child’s-play and blunder, a beautiful mix of occasional deep insight and naive assertion of quick-thought. 

Here are some examples:

“What s Faith?–The quality by which we are enabled to believe that which we know is untrue.”