Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

to decidedly worthy motives, when I am conscious, they sprung from unworthy or unimportant ones, I listen with silent complacency, and do not positively disclaim my right to commendation; only in the one case the lie is passive, in the other active.

Lies of flattery. These lies are, generally speaking, not only unprincipled, but offensive. There are few persons, with whom it is so difficult to keep up the relations of peace and amity, as flatterers by system and habit. The view taken by the flatterer of the penetration of the flattered is often erroneous. The really intelligent are usually aware to how much praise and admiration they are entitled, be it encomium on their personal or mental qualifications.

Lies of fear, spring from the want of moral courage. This defect is by no means confined to any class or age. A child breaks a toy or glass, and denies having done so. Acquaintances forget to execute commissions entrusted 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.

Lies of benevolence, are occasioned by a selfish dread of losing favor and provoking displeasure by speaking the truth, rather than by real benevolence. If you say, that you are looking ill, persons calling themselves benevolent will say that you are looking well. And this not from the desire of flattering you, nor from the malignant one of wishing to render you ridiculous by imposing on your credulity, but from the desire of making you pleased with yourself.

Lies of convenience-namely, the order to servants to say, "not at home," that is teaching them to lie for our convenience, is, at the same time, teaching them to lie for their own, whenever the temptation offers. Those masters and mistresses who show their domestics, that they do not, themselves, value truth, degrade their own characters, will surely have servants unworthy of confidence, and will incur an awful guilt by endangering their servants' well being here and hereafter. Dr. Johnson would not allow his servant to say he was not at home when he really was. " A servant's strict regard for truth," said that great moralist, " must be weaken.

L

Decidedly, entirely, unequivocally, altogether.
Disdain, refuse, reject, disallow, decline.
Can you give any examples like those mentioned ?
Commendation, praise. Change it into a verb.

What are lies of flattery ?

Are not the motives of the flatterer generally very
bad?

Are the customs of society any good excuse ?
What do flatterers generally hope for in return ?
Amity, friendship, comity, peace, union of feeling.
.Erroneous, mistaken, false, wrong.

Are flatterers very often disappointed in their object?
Instead of praise in return, what do they often get?
Can men of intelligence see through the motives of
the flatterer ?

-Qualification, ability, talent, proviso, drawback.
What do lies of fear proceed from ?

What is the difference between moral and natural
courage ?

Are children very often guilty of lies of fear ?
State some examples within your own knowledge.

Are letter writers, who are unfaithful, guilty of this
lie ?

What are lies of benevolence? Are they rightly na

med?

Are physicians guilty of this lie in deceiving dying
persons? What reasons do they give? Are they
good ones? Ought we not to speak truth, and let
consequences alone?

Malignant, malicious, very bad.
Ridiculous, laughable, obnoxious to ridicule.
Credulity, easy belief, readily believing every thing.
State some examples within your own knowledge.
What are lies of convenience? What ranks in life are

most guilty of this lie ?

Domestics, family servants, house laborers.
Well-being, welfare, happiness, prosperity.

What is the consequence of learning servants to de

ceive?

Hereafter, in futurity. What time is here referred to ?
Dr. Johnson. Give some account of him. See App.
Moralist, writer upon morals, or ethics.

1

ed by the practice. A philosopher may know that it is merely a form of denial; but few servants are such nice distinguishers. If I accustom a servant to tell a lie for me, have I not reason to apprehend, that he will tell many lies for himself?"

Lies of wantonness, are lies, which are often told from no other motive, than to show the utterer's total contempt for truth.

Lies of first rate malignity, are those intended wilfully to destroy the reputation of men and women. There are many persons, worn both in body and mind, by the consciousness of being the object of calumnies and suspicions, which they have not the power to combat; who steal broken-hearted into their graves, thankful for the summons of death, and hoping to find refuge from the injustice of their fellow creatures in the bosom of their Savior.

Lies of second rate malignity, spring from the spirit of detraction-a spirit more widely diffused in society than any other. It gives birth to satire, ridicule, mimicry, and quizzing. Complimenting either man or woman, on qualities which they do not possess, in hopes of imposing on their credulity; praising a lady's work, or dress, to her face; and then as soon as she is no longer present, not only abusing both her work and dress, but laughing at her weakness in believing the praise sincere; lavishing encomiums on a man's abilities in his presence, and then as soon as he is out of hearing, expressing wonder that he should be so blind and conceited as not to know that he was in learning a smatterer, and in understanding just not a fool, are instances of lies of second rate malignity. Against these lies the laws provide no protection, and they cannot be exceeded in base and petty treachery.

Lying is a sin, which tempts us on every side, but it is more to be dreaded when it tempts us in the shape of what are called white lies, or little falsehoods; for against these, we are not on our guard; and instead of looking on them as enemies, we consider them as friends. They are notwithstanding equally contrary to the will of God, and it is necessary to be watchful unto prayer, when we are tempted to commit them. "All Philosopher, wise man, deeply learned, skilled in sci

ence.

.Distinguishers, accurate reasoners, critical observers. -Apprehend, fear, expect, arrest, seize.

What must you expect from a servant who is taught to deceive?

What are lies of wantonness? won'tun-nės.
Malignity, maliciousness, malice, vile disposition.
What are lies of first rate malignity?

Does the law protect against lies of this sort ?
Do you remember any instance of this kind of lying?
-Worn, wasted, enfeebled, used, not new.

-Combat, kum'båt, meet, oppose, action, contest. Summons, call, imperative call, allusion from a besieging army.

Refuge, an asylum, a retreat, an escape.
Bosom of the Savior, in heaven, in a better world.
What are lies of second rate malignity?

What spirit do they arise from? To what do they give birth ?

Mimicry, mocking, buffoonry, low imitation.
Spell quizzing, ridiculous, detraction.

Can you give instances of these from memory? When people laugh at the defects of their fellows, are they not guilty? Is it not a most despicable business?

Spell laughing, believing, spirit.
Encomiums, praises, commendations.
Abilities, talents, acquired or natural powers.
Wonder, astonishment, surprise, to think strange.
-Conceited, self-willed, narrow, much self-esteem.
Smatterer, superficial scholar, shallow reader, igno-

rant.

Do the laws provide against these lies?

Exceeded, surpassed, transcended.

Petty, low, insignificant, mean, inferior.
Spell treachery, tempts, learning, enemies.

Have we many temptations to tell falsehoods !

Are not courage, zeal, and perseverance necessary to

shun them?

Where should we look for assistance ?

What is meant by white lies?

Are they displeasing to God?

truth," says Dr. Johnson, " is not of equal importance; but if little violations be allowed, every violation will in time be thought little."

LESSON XIII.

Practical Lies. - AMELIA OPIC.

Practical lies come last on my list; lies not uttered, but acted; dress will furnish me with most of my illustrations.

It has been said that the great art of dress is to conceal defects and heighten beauties; therefore, as concealment is deception, this great art of dress is founded on falsehood; but, certainly, in some instances, on falsehood, comparatively of an innocent kind.

If the false hair be so worn, that no one can fancy it natural; if the bloom on the cheek is such, that it cannot be mistaken for nature; or, if the person who "conceals defects, and heightens beauties," openly avows the practice, then is the deception annihilated. But, if the cheek be so artfully tinted, that its hue is mistaken for natural color; if the false hair be so skilfully woven, that it passes for natural hair; if the crooked person, or meagre form, be so cunningly assisted by dress, that the uneven shoulder disappears, and becoming fulness succeeds to unbecoming thinness, while the man or woman thus assisted by art expects their charms will be imputed to nature alone; then these aids of dress partake of the nature of other lying, and become equally vicious in the eyes of the religious and moral.

I have said the man or woman thus assisted by art; and I believe that, by including the stronger sex in the above observation, I have only been strictly just.

While men hide baldness by gluing a piece of false hair on their heads, meaning that it should pass for their own, and while a false calf gives muscular beauty to a shapeless leg, can the observer on human life do otherwise than include the wiser sex in the list of those who indulge in the permitted artifices and mysteries of the toilet? Nay, bolder still are the advances of some

« AnteriorContinuar »