Illustrations of Lying in All Its Branches

ns confined to any class or age, the result of it, that fear of man which prompts to the lie of fear, must be universal also; though the nature of the dread may be various, and of different degrees of strength. For instance; a child or a servant (of course I speak of ill-educated children) breaks a toy or a glass, and denies having done so. Acquaintances forget to execute commissions intrusted to them ; and either say that they are executed, when they are not, or make some false excuses for an omission which was the result of forgetfulness only. No persons are guilty of so many of this sort of lies, in the year, as negligent correspondents; since excuses for not writing sooner are usually lies of fear?fear of having forfeited favour by too long a silence. As the lie of fear always proceeds, as I before observed, from a want of moral courage, it is often the result of want of resolution to say " no", when " yes" is more agreeable to the feelings of the questioner. " Is not my new gown pretty ?" " Is not my new hat becoming ?" " Is not my coat of a good colour ?" There are few persons who have courage to say " no", even to these trivial questions ; though the negative would be truth, and the affirmative, falsehood. And still less are they able to be honest in their replies to questions of a more delicate nature. x Is not my last work the best?" " Is not my wife beautiful?" " Is not my daughter agreeable ?" " Is not my son a fine youth ?"?those insnaring questions...