Finally, I would thank, had I not lost his name and…
“Finally, I would thank, had I not lost his name and address, a gentleman in America, who has generously and gratuitously corrected the punctuation, the botany, the entomology, the geography, and the chronology of previous works of mine and will, I hope, not spare his services on the present occasion.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Acknowledging a benefactor’s meticulous corrections highlights the collaborative nature of scholarly work.
In simple terms: Thank those who improve your work.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and appreciate scholarly assistance.
Themes
gratitude
collaboration
scholarship
editing
humor
Mood
reflective
humorous
Type
literary
academic
When to use this quote
- research writing
- editing
- academic publishing
- historical scholarship
- author acknowledgments
Key Concepts
Intellectual humility
peer review
academic community
Questions to Reflect On
- Who else could you consult?
- How to balance credit and humility?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on one helper may limit independence.