"But if the young are never tired of erring in conduct, neither are the older in erring of judgment"

Fanny Burney’s insightful words lay bare a timeless observation about human nature across generations. The young, often celebrated for their energy and daring, frequently repeat mistakes in their actions. Youth, driven by impulses and the allure of novelty, stumbles, learns, and stumbles again, undeterred by previous errors. This restless cycle of experimentation, failure, and growth is almost a rite of passage. Their "erring in conduct" marks the vivacity of youth and the process of discovery, embodying the belief that experience is the most effective, if not the gentlest, teacher.

Yet Burney draws a parallel to the older generation, challenging the notion that age always brings infallible wisdom. While the young blunder through deeds, the older persistently err in judgment. With years often comes confidence in one’s discernment, yet age does not bestow immunity from misapprehensions or misjudgments. Assumptions, biases forged by decades of experience, can cloud vision as surely as impulsiveness distorts that of the young. Experience can both illuminate and mislead, creating an illusion of certainty that blinds the aged to nuance or change.

Burney’s observation is subtly egalitarian, refusing to privilege the follies of one age group over another. Error, she suggests, is a permanent human companion. Neither the exuberance of the young nor the sagacity claimed by elders grants freedom from it; mistakes merely shift in nature. The young experiment; the old opine. Each age has its vulnerabilities, and the willingness to err seems enduring, though its expression evolves.

This acknowledgment encourages humility. Recognizing that being young means erring in action, and growing older means erring in opinion, suggests that learning and self-improvement are lifelong processes. Mistakes are not merely the folly of youth; they are the shared heritage of all humanity, linking generations through the ongoing pursuit of understanding and betterment.