Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-11-06
MORAL AND REl1G1@ws.
sLANDER.

lar time, when il may with great truth be
said, the spirit Of slander is abroad 10
the earth, the following essay would
neither be Inappropriate 10 our work, or
uninteresting to our readers. Were we
to write with reference 10 the ISLANDERS in
circulation against our institution we
could not adopt Language more apPro.
pirate, nor arguments more pertlnent.-
We are indebted for it TO a mertofious
little compilation Of essays, entitled the
"Hive."
Slander is a propensity Of mind to
think i'll of all men, and afterwards to
utter such sentiments in scandalous ex.
pressions.
"Slanderers are species Of creatures
so great scandal to human nature as
scarcely to deseMe the name Of nen.-
They are in general a composition Of
most detestable vices, pride, envy, ha.
tired, lying, cheating, uncharitableness.
etc., and ye, it is lamentable truth that
these wre,ches swarm in every town,
lurk in every village; and actuated by
these base principles are ever busy in
attacking the character Of mankind;
none are too great or too good 10 escape
the level Of their envenomed darts. II
in high life they find the greatest worth,
or a man, in middling station, sober,
honest, industrious and aspiring. il is
odd that his merit alone immedi<tsly
excitss them to exercise thsr malignan,
tongue, and their souls rest not till their
bags Of poison are quite exhausted.-
However shocking to the we'll cultivated
mind this assertion may appear, the
truth is too fagrant, and Of too easy in.
vestiga,ion 10 admit Of the least doubt.
What account such unhappy creatures
will be able to render hereafter, for 80
great an abuse Of their time and talents,
so objectionable an injury to their neigh.
Dor, and SO black violation oi the
command of the Gospel, "love one an.
other" it is not difficult 10 guess; nor
agreeable to think on. 4
"a good name in man or woman is
the immediate jewel Of their soul:
"who steals my purse steals trash; rs something
But he he that hat aehss from me my good name,
Robs me Of that which not eenriches him, d n
But makes me poor indeed"
"Spencer in his Fairy Queen (book
4, canto 81 after representing slander as
an old woman sitting on the ground in a
little cottage, goes on:
with 6lihy rag: .bcu; s hs. scattered ter via.
And there ouisucking venom to her parts entire.
foul and oshiy g creature =. ire p ;ns 'sht.
For For .he ~ waist was stuffed with rsncor and despite
Up to The throat, that on with bitterness
Il for.h would break, and gush in great excess,
Pouring out streams Of poison aud Of gall v'@
Whom she with iashngs iewdiy did miscall,
Ana wiekediy backbite: Her name men slandsr
Her nssuis AZURE 10 all goodness 10 abuse,
And causeress crimes continually TO frame; 81.
Wh wS ss Ss: Tsd
"Cslumny is filthy and pernicious
infraction or the tongue, for It is gener.
ally aimed by the most wicked and aban.
doned part ofsnankind, against the most
worthy and most deserving Of esteem and
wounds then unexpectedly. And 10
whom 10 It pleasingf To the most vile
and per6dious, the talkative. But wha,
is its sourcsi From what origin doesi |,
proceed! From fasehood for It's father
and envy for its mother, and from curios
! ity for lie nurse.
"Nor Il calumny itself without ar
offspring; for It not only bsgets strife aud
contention, hatred and malice, blood
shed and murder, but nourishes othsl
destructive evils. And now let % en
auirs what h the antidots 10 this disease
Innocencs and patience, innocence Oh
able, ~ 70 bear it and patience blunt
its edge. When you hsas any one il
sspoksn Of in your company which;hap
pens but too often, mingla not Tie ipdt
son Of your malignant feasctious ND
bid higher than the rest in the auction 3
slander, much less be the messenger Q
such abuse y The person concerned.