The New York herald., 1879-11-09

social atmosphere of English cities and house
holds. There arose in Rome, at the beginning OF
her imperial decline. precisely such phenomenon.
The DICTATOR portrayed by Tacitus in coiors OF
burning indignation and execration. was a clever,
inscriptions knave who made money by falsely
accusing Of various crimes before the public those
who were prominent and respected citizens. The
trade Of these moral assassins became for some
time thriving one; terror prevented timid persons
frcm opposing them; hatred and jealousy gave them
the counrenance of partisans. and the law itself
stopped to be msused and for the proht OF
cunning caumniators like those provided against by
the Lex Papia They ended. for the most part. mis-
erably-these assailants Of honorable regulations
these bravos of the back sairs-but not before they
had poisoned Rome with the venom of universal
suspicion, and had drawn from the great historian
that cry of loathing and scorn which Tacitus III
London to-day might well renew. As with the
modern 'delator.' the glib scoundres OF an
cient Rome also affected to be pursuing pub
lie ends while they gave vent to private
malignancy and. like the Rosenbergs of our time.
they built their accusations upon prejudice and
personal feeling and dignifed their viles SANDERS
rs services to morality" 10 which. on the 3oth
ult.. Mr.. Labouchere thus made courteous reply:-
II observe that the nephew Of my late esteemed
friend Mr. Lionel lawson. paid some hirelng to in
purported to be upon the Langtry libel case.
but every other line of which is manifestly intended
to reter to Truth. This is hardly fair Sir Robert
Garden expressed wish that. petdente lite. there
should be no journalistic amenities between us. To
this wish have yielded an implicit obedience. and
if L. L. continues this system of innuendo in the
ID. L. shall have to appeal to Sir Robert my nat
ural protector "what. the cap fits. does it2"
hear some say. No. the cap is msft. but none
the less was the article written with view to preju
dice public opinion by trying put Truth and 7o'cn
TAX in the same boat. Proverbs are the refuge Of
fools. They may be the wisdom Of nations. but
in their application they show that in all nations
there are very silly people. So that may reply,
for attacks; neither innuendo nor direct
abuse affects me. never myself bring actions for
libels against editors for regard such course as
silly. thin-skinned editor being. to my mind.
like a soldier who whimpers when he is
pricked with bodkin; and yet what q
fortune should I have accumulated had l
asked for damages against all the owners printers.
publishers and editors of newspapers that have ma
igned mel Some foolish person invented the
phrase, "society journal" The next step was to
call any weekly journal which was to be maligned
a ''socety journal" and then to write long
TRADE a2nst society journals in general.
keep my breath to cool my porridge. l
know in Truth that all illusions personal and pri-
yate scandals eschewed II the current gossip Of
the hour referred to it Is because the gossip has
become public property. Personally do not caro-
about this sort OF stuff but know that 1t amuscs
many and harms none. give it in small doses.
much as q mother gives her child little jam to in
duce 1t to eat with relish good sound bread.l