concern us. Some love to mingle themselves in all business, and are loath to seem ignorant of such important news as the faults and follies of men; therefore with great care they pick up ill stories to entertain the next company they meet, not perhaps out of malice, but for want of something better to talk of.

"LASTLY, many do this out of wantonness, and for diversion; so little do they consider a man's reputation is too great and tender a concern to be jested with; and that a slanderous tongue bites like a serpent, and cuts like a sword. What can we be so barbarous, next to sporting with a man's life, as to play with his honour and good name, which to some is better than life.

"SUCH, and so bad, are the causes of this vice.

"If we consider its pernicious effects, we shall find that, to such as are slandered, it is a great injury, commonly a high provocation, but always matter of grief.

"IT is certainly a great injury; and if the evil which we say of them be not true, it is an injury beyond reparation. It is an injury that descends to a man's child; because the good or ill name of the father is derived down to them, and many times the best thing he has to leave them is an unblemished virtue.— And do we make no conscience to rob his innocent children of the best part of his small patrimony, and of all the kindness that would have been done them for their father's sake, if his reputation had not been. Bb

undeservedly stained? Is it no crime by the breath of our mouth at once to blast a man's reputation, and to ruin his children, perhaps to all posterity? Can we jest with so serious a matter? an injury so very hard to be repented of as it ought; because, in such a case, no repentance will be acceptable without restitution, if in our power.

"EVEN suppose the matter of the slander true, yet no man's reputation is considerably stained, though never so deservedly, without great hurt to him; and it is odds but the charge, by passing through several hands, is aggravated beyond truth, every one being apt to add something to it.

"BESIDES the injury, it is commonly a high provocation; the consequence of which may be dangerous and desperate quarrels. One way or other the injured person will hear of it, and will take the first opportunity to revenge it.

"AT best, it is always matter of grief to the person that is defamed, and Christianity, which is the bestnatured institution in the world, forbids us to do those things whereby we may grieve one another.

"A MAN'S character is a tender thing, and a wound there sinks deep into the spirit even of a wise and good man; and the more innocent any man is in this respect, the more sensible he is of this uncharitable treatment; because he never treats others so, nor is he conscious to himself that he hath deserved it.

"To ourselves the consequences of this vice are as bad or worse. He that accustoms himself to speak evil of others, gives a bad character to himself, even to those whom he desires to please, who, if they be wise, will conclude that he spesks of them to others, as he does of others to them.

"AND this practice of evil-speaking may be inconvenient many other ways. For, who knows in the chance of things, and the mutability of human affairs, whose kindness he may stand in need of before he dies? So, that did a man only consult his own safety and quiet, he ought to refrain from evil-speaking.

"How cheap a kindness it is to speak well, at least not to speak ill of others. A good word is an easy obligation, but not to speak ill requires only our silence. Some instances of charity are chargeable; but were a man never so covetous, he might afford another his good word; at least he might refrain from speaking ill of him, especially if it be considered how dear many have paid for a slanderous and reproachful word.

"No quality ordinarily recommends one more to the favour of men, than to be free from this vice. Such a man's friendship every one desires; and, next to piety and righteousness, nothing is thought a greater commendation, than that he was never or very rarely heard to speak ill of any.

"LET every man lay his hand upon his heart, and consider how himself is apt to be affected with this

usage. Nothing sure is more equal and reasonable than that known rule, What thou wouldst have no mán do to thee, that do thou to no man,

"THE following directions, if duly observed, will greatly contribute to the prevention and cure of this great evil.

"NEVER say any evil of another, but what you certainly know.

"WHENEVER You positively accuse a man of any crime, though it be in private and among friends, speak as if you were upon your oath, because God sees and hears you. This, not only charity, but justice, demands of us. He that easily credits a false report is almost as culpable as the first inventor of it. Therefore never speak evil of any upon common fame, which, for the most part, is false, but almost always uncertain.

"BEFORE you speak evil of another, consider whether he hath not obliged you by some real kindness, and then it is a bad turn to speak ill of him that hath done you good. Consider also whether you may not come hereafter to be acquainted with him, related to him, or in want of his favour, whom you have thus injured? and whether it may not be in his power to revenge a spiteful and needless word, by a shrewd turn? So that if a man made no conscience of hurting others, yet he should in prudence have some consideration of himself.

LET us accustom ourselves to be truly sorry for

the faults of men, and then we shall take no pleasure in publishing them. Common humanity requires this of us, considering the great infirmities of our nature, and that we also are liable to be tempted; considering likewise how severe a punishment every crime is to itself, how terribly it exposeth a man to the wrath of God, both here and hereafter.

"WHENEVER we hear any man evil spoken of, if we have heard any good of him, let us say that. It is always more humane and more honourable to vindicate others than to accuse them. Were it necessary that a man should be evil spoken of, his good and bad qualities should be represented together, otherwise he may be strangely misrepresented, and an indifferent man may be made a monster.

"THEY that will observe nothing in a wise man but his oversights and follies; nothing in a good but his failings and infirmities, may render both despicable.Should we heap together all the passionate speeches, all the imprudent actions of the best man, and present them all at one view, concealing his virtues, he, in this disguise, would look like a madman or fury; and yet, if his life were fairly represented in the manner it was led, he would appear to all the world to be an amiable and excellent person. But how numerous soever any man's ill qualities are, it is but just that he should have due praise of his few real virtues.

"THAT you may not speak ill, do not delight in hearing it of any. Give no countenance to busy bodies: if you cannot decently reprove them because of their