( '57 ) 
by the vicious themfelves. A man without 
character foon becomes an outcaft of fo- 
ciety. Let it therefore be your firft care to 
eftabliih a firm charafter for fcrupulous ve- 
racity. A lie admits of no apology. This 
truth is fo generally underftood, that even 
among the moft profligate, what is called 
giving the He muft be atoned for at the 
hazard of life. But, do not therefore haftily 
conclude, that you are to fend a challenge 
to every ill-mannered or drunken puppy 
who dares to difpute your veracity. I mean 
only to prove the vice of lying to be fo uni- 
verfally detefted, that to tell a gentleman he 
is guilty of it, is the moft unpardonable of- 
fence; and very juftly, becaufe it is, by im- 
plication, calling him a coward. A man of 
true courage will difdain the protection of 
a falfehood, were it even to fave his life. 
When he has once patted the Rubicon, he 
will march boldly on to the capital. He 
has put his life upon a caft, and will nobly 
ftand the hazard of the die. 
There is indeed, in this trait of a great 
character, no medium; and it becomes in- 
finitely defirable when you reflect on the 
influence it will have on all your actions* 
If you are pofitively determined to preferve 
your 
