is an uncommendable thing; and so, also, and in the
same degree, is an injurious truth--a fact which is recognized by the
law of libel.

Among other common lies, we have the silent lie--the deception which one
conveys by simply keeping still and concealing the truth. Many obstinate
truth-mongers indulge in this dissipation, imagining that if they speak
no lie, they lie not at all. In that far country where I once lived,
there was a lovely spirit, a lady whose impulses were always high and
pure, and whose character answered to them. One day I was there at
dinner, and remarked, in a general way, that we are all liars. She was
amazed, and said, "Not all!" It was before "Pinafore's" time so I did
not make the response which would naturally follow in our day, but
frankly said, "Yes, all--we are all liars; there are no exceptions." She
looked almost offended, and said, "Why, do you include me?" "Certainly,"
I said, "I think you even rank as an expert." She said, "'Sh!--'sh! the
children!"

So the subject was changed in deference to the children's presence, and
we went on talking about other things. But as soon as the young people
were out of the way, the lady came warmly back to the matter and said,
"I have made it the rule of my life to never tell a lie; and I have
never departed from it in a single instance." I said, "I don't mean the
least harm or disrespect, but really you have been lying like smoke
ever since I've been sitting here. It has caused me a good deal of pain,
because I am not used to it." She required of me an instance--just a
single instance. So I said:--

"Well, here is the unfilled duplicate of the blank which the Oakland
hospital people sent to you by the hand of the sick-nurse when she came
here to nurse your little nephew through his dangerous illness. This
blank asks all manner of questions as to the conduct of that sick-nurse:
'Did she ever sleep on her watch? Did she ever forget to give the
medicine?' and so forth and so on. You are warned to be very careful and
explicit in your answers, for the welfare of the service requires that
the nurses be promptly fined or otherwise punished for derelictions.
You told me you were perfectly delighted with that nurse--that she had
a thousand perfections and only one fault: you found you never could
depend on her wrapping Johnny up half sufficiently while he waited in
a chilly chair for her to rearrange the warm bed. You filled up the
duplicate of this paper,