Chapter Erragon to Errors of Authors of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Erragon to Errors of Authors

Erragon, king of Lora (in Scandinavia). Aldo, a Caledonian chief, offered him his services, and obtained several important victories; but Lorma, the king’s wife, falling in love with him, the guilty pair escaped to Morven. Erragon invaded the country, and slew Aldo in single combat, but was himself slain in battle by Gaul, son of Morni. As for Lorma, she died of grief.—Ossian: The Battle of Lora.

Errant Damsel (The), Una.—Spenser: Faërie Queene, iii. I (1590).

Errol (Gilbert earl of), lord high constable of Scotland.—Sir W. Scott: Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Error, a monster who lived in a den in “Wandering Wood,” and with whom the Red Cross Knight had his first adventure. She had a brood of 1000 young ones of sundry shapes, and these cubs crept into their mother’s mouth when alarmed, as young kangaroos creep into their mother’s pouch. The knight was nearly killed by the stench which issued from the foul fiend, but he succeeded in “rafting” her head off. Whereupon the brood lapped up the blood, and burst with satiety.

Half like a serpent horribly displayed,
But th’ other half did woman’s shape retain …
And as she lay upon the dirty ground,
Her huge long tail her den all overspread,
Yet was in knots and many boughts [folds] upwound,
Pointed with mortal sting.
   —Spenser: Faerie Queene, i. I (1590).

Errors of Artists. (See Anachronisms, p. 40.)

(1) Angelo (Michel), in his great picture of the “Last Judgment,” has introduced Charon’s bark.

(2) Brengheli, the Dutch painter, in a picture of the “Wise Men of the East” Making their offerings to the infant Jesus, has represented one of them dressed in a large white surplice, booted and spurred, offering the model of a Dutch seventy-four to the infant.

(3) Etty has placed by the bedside of Holofernes a helmet of the period of the seventeenth century.

(4) Mazzochi (Paulo), in his “Symbolical Painting of the Four Elements,” represents the sea by fishes, the earth by moles, fire by a salamander, and air by a camel! Evidently he mistook the cameleon (which traditionally lives on air) for a camel.

(5) Reynolds (Sir Joshua) has given one of his men two hats. In the early life of this great artist it was customary to paint the man with one hand in the waistcoat and a chapeau bras under one of the arms. A gentleman requested that Reynolds would paint him with his hat on his head. When the picture was sent home, lo! there were two hats; one sure enough was on the head, according to request, but there was another under the man’s arm.

(6) Tintoret, in a picture which represents the “Israelites Gathering Manna in the Wilderness,” has armed the men with guns.

(7) Vandyke. In Vandyke’s celebrated picture of Charles I. in armour, both the gauntlets are for the right hand.

(8) Veronese (Paul), in his “Marriage Feast of Cana of Galilee,” has introduced among the guests several Benedictines.

(9) West, president of the Royal Academy, has represented Paris the Phrygian in Roman costume.

(10) Westminster Hall is full of absurdities. Witness the following as specimens:—

Sir Cloudesley Shovel is dressed in a Roman cuirass and sandals, but on his head is a full-bottomed wig of the eighteenth century.