File this under Good News: Ian Hamet of Banana Oil fame has managed to snag a first edition of Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage.
Lucky Ian. Ian, Ian, Ian. Do you yourself realize how fortunate you are?
Nietzsche wrote something to the effect that the errors of great men were more interesting than the accomplishments of average men. Fowler is so good, so erudite and learned, so scrupulous, so clear, so bloody informative that he is worth reading even when he is clearly wrong.
And yes, I've found spots where Fowler is wrong and I'm right, and I'm preparing a blog entry about just that (Kingsley Amis was wrong there, too). Coming soon: The Anger of Compassion corrects Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage--and Kingsley Amis: in the same post! Bells will toll, women will dance, children will sing; all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well...
(Ahem) And I'm not trying to be a snob, either: I only managed to obtain my own first edition Fowler this year. But I'd kill before surendering it, so Ian, congratulations again and don't ever lose yours.
And check out Fowler on beer and ale, and think on how he errs what he says. Until further notice.
The great thing about Fowler (I've worked off the second edition for a long time, actually) is that he's so clear and direct that you can judge for yourself when he's wrong.
Try that with a grammar of today.
Don't worry, this particular book is going around the planet with me. :)
Posted by: Ian at August 3, 2003 12:04 PMIan,
I'm a twenty-year man with the 2d edition myself. And yes, I agree with you on Fowler--and I'm hoping that it does, indeed, go 'round the planet with you! :-)
Posted by: Craig at August 4, 2003 01:05 AM