The following is part of a series exploring quotations attributed to C.S. Lewis that are questionable for one reason or another.
I’ve collected, reorganized, and expanded this material in a book, THE MISQUOTABLE C.S. LEWIS, that is now widely available (Amazon, including the Kindle format, and via Google Books). It examines 75 quotations and so it has information not yet posted online. I’m continuing the series by posting material adapted from the book.
There is an “at a glance” page to quickly see what has been posted so far in this series, which also includes a list of the other quotes I’ve identified as questionable. Also, if you haven’t already, consider reading the INTRODUCTION to this series to gain an understanding of the three main categories (NOT Lewis, ALMOST Lewis and NOT QUITE Lewis quotations).
“Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.”
He’s a quote falsely attributed to Lewis that has me scratching my head. Why? Because when you do a quick search in places like Google, you can find easy evidence to suggest the correct author, Henry Ward Beecher. If you are not a history buff, then you may not recall who that is. He was a U.S. abolitionist and clergyman from the 1800’s. It’s unclear how Lewis’s name became associated with the nineteenth century Social Reformer’s words. From what I could tell this error is likely to be fairly recent.
Confusing these two doesn’t make much sense, as Lewis doesn’t even mention Beecher in any of his published letters. The earliest mention I was able to identify which associated Beecher’s name with the expression was in the 1912 edition of The Leather Workers’ Journal.
This expression reminds me of what Lewis said that is related to the topic of forgiveness. One of the most humorous statements he made in Mere Christianity about it was “Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” He also brought clarity to the issue in an essay on the topic found in The Weight of Glory. There he noted “forgiving does not mean excusing” someone’s behavior; rather, it involves admitting that something has been done to us that is without any excuse or justifying reason for the behavior.
Related Articles:
Exploring C.S. Lewis Misquotes and Misconceptions (6-part podcast series)
What Lewis NEVER Wrote (Podcast)
Not Quite Lewis – Podcast Version
Not Quite Lewis – Questionable Lewisian Quotations (Conf. Paper)
