t82 on tale-bearing. Oft. 12, 



Miift not he be a great coward who always attacks 

 you behind your back, and in circumftances where it 

 is impoffible for you lo ftand upon the defenfive ? — 

 Such a coward is the Tale-bearer, who finds it necef- 

 fary to ftab in the dark ; and who takes the opportu- 

 nity of my abfence to murder my charafter. 



Good name in man or woman, dear, my Lord, 



Is the immortal jewel of their iouls. 



Who fteals my purfe Heals trafh ; 'tis fomcthing;, nothing : 



'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been flave to thoufands. 



But he that filches from me my gooJ name 



Robs me oi that which not enriches him, 



And makes mc poor indeed ! Shalefpcare. 



The ftratagems of Vice are fo many and various, fo 

 complicated and myfterious, that they require the Ikill 

 of a mafter to maturate them. Hypocrify is an 

 aggregate of all that is bafe or abjeft in nature ; it is 

 the badge of a reprobate mind, the garb of a villain. — 

 Under this unhallowed mafk, that noxious thing, a Tale- 

 hearer is reared, nouriftied, and protedled. He muft 

 appear what he is not, that his tales may gain credit 

 with others : otherwife the virtues which he muft dif- 

 guife would alleviate the faults which it is his bufmefs 

 to expt)fe. 



Falfehood, the ghaftly mother of this unfeemly child, 

 is ever ready to affift the Tale-bearer, to gratify his 

 wiflies> and fill up his plan — Fafts are not always at 

 hand, nor always convenient for the fchemes of deceit. 

 — lie means to reveal nothing but what you mean to 

 conceal ; to tell nothing but v/hat detracts from y^aur 

 merit; — and what can anfwer all thefe purpofes fo 

 well as Falfehood ? 



Idlenefs is the predominant bias of every v/eak and 

 worthlefs temper, and the fruitful nurfery of the moft 

 baneful habits. He who has no bufinefs of his own, 

 muft naturally turn his attention to that of others. — 

 Your late ingenious efiayift, Mr Editor, has juftly 

 poi.ited it out to be an inlet to every vice; and thofe 

 who are addicted to it (hould take the hint of the For- 



