The Arkansas advocate., 1830-12-15
MISCELLANY
From the Philadelphia Album.
 ISLANDER.

We are thoroughly convinced that a. Tlong the most danlliiisg evils of the present day, is the inclination to hear and circulate slander. We cannot, from personal observation, institute a comparison between. the present and past generations; but there are many reasons why we incline to the opinion that. however inferior we may be to ouFprogenitors in many traits of charac ter, we are certainly much in advance of them in our propensity to scandal. Curiosity excltes that restless and iasa- tiate appetite for gossip, daily demands of which arc too often satisfied at the expense of truth and by the wanton sa- erifice of character. This criminal propensity appears to be confined to no particular rank of society or class of individuals. We are not so much sur prised at the prevalence of so pitiablc and wicked an indulgence in that class of worldly people, whose only principle of action seems to originate in 6 painful anxiety to hasten the flight of lagging time-and who, miserably limited in their knowledge of things, are obliged, through 8 species of necessity, to make persons the subject of their conyersa- ton. The circulation of calumny alone, seems capable of giving exercise to their stagnant intellects, which, when thus agltated, exilale upon the healthful air the foul miasm of pestilence and poi son. Hence the existence of scandal Is readily accounted for; and the mise rable victims of fashionable ennui, in their ineapaeity for more intellectual enjoyment claim our commiseration. But what shali we say, when we en- E counter, if not absolute existence of malignity, at least an habituai exagge- ration of facts and careless tfiliing with character, among the professors ot that charity which thinketh no evil? It IS with deep regret for the dark stain upon the character of Christians, that we would raise our voice against the indifference with which the sii of Ca iumny is regarded by many, who call themselves by that name, but whose in- consistency in this respect, proves that their claims to it are exceedingly ques- tionabIe.
 It is certainly. not enough to justify the narration of circumstances caleula- ted to inure our neighbour, that we hayeheard them from others, thatshould we be called to account for our asser- sions, ,we can refer to our authors. Nay, 1t is not sufficient that we should be convinced of the truth of the reports. which We employ ourselves in circulat- snS. We fear that this assertion will De considered as paradoxical at a period when evidence, much short of probabi- s!ty, IS considered ample grounds for the circulation of the fonIest ealumnies that nalignity can invent. Bit let us. prone moment divest ourselves of that lalse estimate of detrantion which we nave insensibly formed in our inter- course with the world. Let us consid- eFlts consequences, as it effects the ob- lect of its unprinciplcd attacks, and we can no longer persist in it. unless wilfuI- y blind to the atrocity of a crime of len more dreadful in it's effects upon the happiness of individuals and families. than the violence of d robber or an as- sassin. There is much valuable truth n the language of Shakespeare. howey- CT true t may be considered
 Who steals my purse steals trash: lis .,. something. nothing,
 was mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to