er, and a teacher of truths, which I ought to believe that every one knows already, and better than I do. But I beg permission to deprecate the charge of presumption and self-conceit, by declaring that I pretend not to lay before my readers any new knowledge; my only aim is to bring to their recollection knowledge which they already possess, but do not constantly recall and act upon. I am to them, and to my subject, what the picturecleaner is to the picture; the restorer to observation of what is valuable, and not the artist who created it. In the next place I wish to remind them that a weak hand is as able as a powerful one to hold a mirror, in which we may see any defects in our dress or person. In the last place, I venture to assert that there is not in my whole book a more common-place truth, than that kings are but men, and that monarchs, as well as their subjects, must surely die. Notwithstanding, Philip of Macedon was so conscious of his liability to forget this awful truth, that he employed a monitor to follow him every day, repeating in his ear, "Remember thou art but a man." And he who gave this salutary admonition neither possessed superiority of wisdom, nor pretended to possess it. All, therefore, that I require of my readers is to do me justice to believe that, in the following work, wy preteasions have been as humble and as confined, as those of the REMEMBRANCER of PHILIP OF MACEDON. AMELIA OPIE. ILLUSTRATIONS OF LYING, IN ALL ITS BRANCHES. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. WHAT constitutes lying? I answer the intention to deceive. If this be a correct definition, there must be passive as well as active lying; and those who withhold the truth, or do not tell the whole truth, with an intention to deceive, are guilty of lying, as well as those who tell a direct or positive falsehood. Lies are many, and various in their nature and in their tendency, and may be arranged under their different names, thus :- Lies of Vanity. Lies of Flattery. Lies of Convenience. Lies of Interest. Lies of Fear. Lies of first-rate Malignity. Lies of second-rate Malignity. Lies, falsely called Lies of Benevolence. Lies of real Benevolence. Lies of mere Wantonness, proceeding from a depraved love of lying, or contempt for truth, There are others probably; but I believe that this list contains all those which are of the most importance; unless, indeed, we may add to it Practical Lies; that is, Lies acted, not spoken. I shall give an anecdote, or tale, in order to illustrate each sort of lie in its turn, or nearly so, lies for the sake of lying excepted; for I should find it very difficult so to illustrate this the most despicable species of falsehood. CHAPTER II. ON THE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE LIES OF VANITY. I SHALL begin my observations by defining what I mean by the Lie of Vanity, both in its active and passive nature; these lies being undoubtedly the most common, because vanity is one of the most powerful springs of human action, and is usually the besetting sin of every one. Suppose, that, in order to give myself consequence, I were to assert that I was actually acquainted with certain great and distinguished personages whom I had merely met in fashionable society. Suppose also, I were to say that I was at such a place, and such an assembly on such a night, without adding, that I was there, not as an invited guest, but only because a benefit concert was held at these places for which I had tickets. These would both be lies of vanity; |