An Impossibility.

Hastings Standard, Issue 38, 10 June 1896, Page 4

An Impossibility.

In glancing over a book or newspaper the critical man wonders at the typographical errors which here and there catch his eye; he attributes them to stupidity or carelessness; if he can so readily detect an error, why should the proof reader, whose business it is to detect errors, allow even one to pass unnoticed'? To the ninety-nine that are found and corrected he gives not a thought ; the uncorrected hundredth fills his mind, and be wonders how people can be so heedless. .Just here comes in the story of a London publisher who made up his mind to publish a book that should have no typographical errors whatever. He had his proofs corrected by his own proof-readers, until they "all assured him that there were no longer any errors in the text. Then he sent proofs to the universities and to other publishing houses, offering a prize of several pounds sterling in cash for every typographical mistake that could be found. Hundreds of proofs were sent oui in this way, and many skilled proof-readers examined in the hope of earning a prize. A few errors were discovered. Then all the proof-sheets having been heard from, the publisher felt assured that his book would appear before the public an absolutely perfect piece of composition. He had it handsomely bound, and the edition sold well. The publisher was very much pleased with himself for having done something that had hitherto been considered an impossibility. Then his pride had a fall, for six or eight months later he received a letter calling his attention to an error in a certain line on a certain page. Then came another announcing the discovery of a second error in this perfect book. I believe before the year was over four or five mistakes were found.