Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-03-03
FROM TIE PORTSMOUTH JOURNAL.
LYING.


LYING.
81 shave 'seaped by miracle. ] ana
eight Zines thrust through the doublet;
four through the hose, my buckler cut
through and through my sword hack'd
like hand saw, ecce signum. never
dealt better since was man."
FulstqE
I" Boastful and rough your first son is squire.
The next tradesman,meek and much liar"
/ Pope.
There are so many pleasant varieties
in the art Of lying; so many nice adapt
atoms to tine, place aud circumstances;
so much ingenuity required to suit the
action to the word" and make the
worst appear the better reason-.hat
for my part, almost doubt whether
person be not entitled to great credit
for managing lie to perfection. Yet
unfortunately for the great and respect.
able community of liars, they generally
exhibit rather more malice than ingenu-
| ity, and therefore fail Of receiving tho
reward which grateful world is ready
to bestow on true merit. There arc
many kinds of merit. Some people
dance with grace; some have a happy
knack at laughing you out of counte-.
nance others excel in lodging bill;
and very many in lying you out Of COM
mon sense, countenance, money.and all ;
as
London's column, pointing at the skies,
| Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies"
But yet we ought TO consider that il
there are an infinite number of liars,
there is too an infinite variety in the
character of the lies themselvcs-com-
mencing with the malignant lie direct,
and going down to the lie countcr-check,
the lie circumstantial the quip modest,
and the arhitc lie. Now man may
look you in the face with the most inn
movable composure, aud utter broad,
or fiat, or up-and-dowB or otherwise
ia perpendicular lie-which you know
to be a lie, and which he knows TO be
lie himself, ard so would all the world
beside-this is only harmless fiction
in the manner. of Sir Walter Scott; 4
Munchausen story; or only little rc-,
rnancing Gas the people of the country
say which harms nobody-not even It's
author. And when a man subscribes
himself your most humble and obedient
servant at the bottom Of his letter, you
know it to be civil species of lying,
for you would not think of directing
him to brush your coat or black your
boots. | wish all species Of lies were
innocent as these.
Tie familiar story Of the three black
crows, shows in very pointed and
pleasant manner that the credulity Of
others is the principal temptation TO the
liar. There arg, TO be sure, great
many hes told for profit the trader viii
tell you an affecting little story about
the cost, of his goods; the doctor win
pathaticaliy-;protest with a most woful
countenance (when it is toward you)
that. his patient is no better; and the
lawyer will now and then, for the bene-
fit Of a client, deviate little from the
nicely of fact. But it is in domestic life
that we see the most notable instances
ofthe art and effect of lying. 1t is when
country cousins throng the house Of
J their sixteenth half cousin on the moth
er's side, that you see all the besuty and
amiableness of dissimulation. After the
) one hundred and one welcomes are
: gone through with, and after the requi-
, site number of kisses and sqeeZes are
perpetrated on the faces and hands OF
} the whole troop, and all the kind and
, due inquiries made of aunts, uncles, and
cousins who are yet to e,then comes
lying and scandal:
FL AT every word reputation dies"-
and before your footsteps are out Of
I hearing it is probable you will be en-
{ tertained with conversation Of which
you are the subject for instance
! Well, IT'S pity
What's pity?
That Jaques--I couldn't have be-
: lieved it
/ What?
is light fingered! He has pilfer.
ed tuba dog--snd brass kettle
it's all out ! knew he was a little given
TO ly-But wouldn't hurt bis char.
; acter, poor young man.
, BY aud by another unfortunate wight
makes his exit from the company, which
, is the signal that has character will moi
/ stand so fair as it did.
IL declare should not have thought
it. I'm sorry for the poor fellow -
with sigh.)
, Poor fellow why what's the matter
: -" Pockets TO let," as Bob Logic says
, he was thought to be cGshy--but riches
: fly away on wings, as Lord Byron says.
: 1t is with such innocent conversation
! as this that liars make themselves hap
. ,,v and tvith o,rpai Oaod nature sacFf.