W. PULLEN.
LUDICROUS BLUNDERS.
(From “After Dinner Chat,” in the New Monthly Magazine.)
H.—How completely a fine poetical thought may be destroyed by the alteration of a single word! I recollect a ludicrous instance of this. I was quoting to M—d—y, who is rather deaf, a line of Campbell’s, as being, in my opinion, equal to any that ever was produced:
“And Freedom shriek’d—as Kosciusko fell.”
“I dare say you are right,” replied M—d—y; “but it does not quite please me: I must think of it.” And he repeated—
“And Freedom squeak’d—as Kosciusko fell.”
F.—L—ml—y, of the —th Dragoons, was, as you may remember, a great admirer of the “Hohenlinden” of the same poet, and used frequently to recite it; but instead of
“Wave, Munich! all thy banners wave!