The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-12-20

friend taken them by tie haud, III their fFsi
deviation from the path of rectitude, and
given them suitable admOnitions, they
might have been plucked from the sinks I'll
vice into which they were plunged by in
| considcratrness aud blind infaiuatoD ;
aud, pruned oftheir faults, would have been
an honorto themselves, and may hap 10 their
country. But there are never wanting III
! tie souls, who, not satisfied with catcchising
/ faults which do exist, are always prepared
10 magnify them. Some, who, unwilling
! that discrepancies IN the conduct oil persons
! with whom they are acquainted, should re-
nain known only to those from whom they
j cduHot be concealed, take pleasure in pub
T fishing them Ia the Worldwide are never
/ 80 well pleased rs when an opportunity of
! lers al tearing To latters the regulations OF
/ misguided AID unfortunate persons. These
are your slauderers, your tattlers and your
/ tell-tales--yOur gossipping traducers who
5, lost 10 all the good feelings, brcathed into
our natures by the divine Influence of our
/ Creator, partake more of the nature of the
iend, who, dashed, for his pride and tow
erins ambition, from Heaven, now,
With head np-iit above the waves and
That sparkling blaze, his other parts be-
! sides,
q Prone the food, extended long and
! large,
" lie, floating many rood in bulk as huge
| ID As whom the fables name, ot monstrous
SIZE,
Titanian, or Earth born, that ward on
Joye."
| it i, as have before minated, some
what singular, that slandcrcrs, known rs
such, are permitted 10 enter into company,
and are received with poIitcness aud treat
ed with respect. have ever regarded ii
as an indub table fact, and am borne out
in the opinion by the evidence Of my own
senses, ~ well as the concurrent opinions
OF several excellent authors, that they are
the cause'of more mischief than war and
pestileBce Disease may be curcd-lamine
, may be alleviatcd-if attacked by enemies,
You have IN equal chance of conprcst-but,
ifonce the SiaHdero's fang, 4" worse than
the serpent ofthe Nile" tastens on Your re-
putation, and be obtains crcdence for his
assertions, all yoaf responsibility is gone
the mlidew of dctracliOn leaves no loophole
| of retreat ; and, unless upheld by the good
sense and observation of the community,
You are inevitably ruined. Hence, says an
author, whose humorous witness, who is
not, however, always humorouS) have en-
liycned many of nay hours of gloom, after
treating ON the characters of several de
sorlptlons of persons from whom we should
keep aloof-" Nor is IA sanderer less " 5c-
y to b. avoided, unless you choose to feast
| on your neighbours faults, II The price Of be
ing SeGei up al The tables Of others for
persons OF this stamp are generally impair
tai III Their abuse. Indeed, II is not always
possible totally To escape them for, being
harcly known to them, is a sure title of
their caIumny ; tie more they are oiHtit-
ted 10 .yom acquaintance, tie more you tgiH
be abuScd IN hcm.' II is true, that it is i'm
possible nj all times To avoid them without
violating that polacness which every man
owes to himself as well as to others. Bat
there are cases IN which thcy may be avoid
ed, and in which they are not II is not al
ways among the disrcplrable pant of soci
cty--or atlcdst among these who are deem
ed 40, that We find these characters. We
see them among those who move in the
first circles -atd whose tccaHh is 4! 4, only
passport To notice. / have even how in
view, person whose regular business it is
To traduce secretly the reputation of those
with whom ~ asgociates. II is-roru.
lar habit to relate the transactions Of per-
sons W, WIN Wno'h he associates 10 others
and, by - intercourse with Il good many
,nd IN 'o''ais' - ~ en"b,"d to become pretty
oor Iors ,te.tag 49,, 5nrj, taee',ls hJor
r - ''"''.''
and, II - knows the portrait, (and | am
,'nod -" ,, van. 10 Ia '', - ',,u wiz d,
,III ~ ' ',,"'G' s,, s''', pe e9"'e'lt,
.h ~ ,""u' ,,ina ''''l' e',ea from
CIV 'r , an. h" u ,n'"i sa oa. irouuer