There are those who, speaking in disparagement of the neighbor, speak to the point, directly and plainly; others, no less guilty, do it in a covert manner, have recourse to subterfuge and insinuation.  They exaggerate faults and make them appear more odious, they put an evil interpretation on the deed or intention; they keep back facts that would improve the situation; they remain silent when silence is condemnatory; they praise with a malignant praise.  A mean, sarcastic smile or a significant reticence often does the work better than many words and phrases.  And all this, as we have said, independently of the truth or falsehood of the impression conveyed.

Listeners share the guilt of the defamers on the principle that the receiver is as bad as the thief.  This supposes of course that you listen, not merely hear; that you enjoy this sort of a thing and are willing and ready to receive the impression derogatory to the neighbor’s esteem and good name.  Of course, if mere curiosity makes us listen and our pleasure and amusement are less at the expense of the neighbor’s good name than excited by the style of the narrator or the singularity of the facts alleged, the fault is less; but fault there nevertheless is, since such an attitude serves to encourage the traducer and helps him drive his points home.  Many sin who could and should prevent excesses of this kind, but refrain from doing so; their sin is greater if, by reason of their position, they are under greater obligations of correction.

Although reputation is a priceless boon to all men, there are cases wherein it has an especial value on account of the peculiar circumstances of a man’s position.  It not infrequently happens that the whole success of a man’s life depends on his good name.  Men in public life, in the professions, religious and others similarly placed, suffer from defamation far more than those in the ordinary walks of life; and naturally those who injure them are guilty of more grievous wrong.  And it goes without saying that a man can stand an immoral aspersion better than a woman.  In all cases the malice is measured by the injury done or intended.

CHAPTER LXXXIX.  DETRACTION.

To absolve oneself of the sin of detraction on the ground that nothing but the truth was spoken is, as we have seen, one way of getting around a difficulty that is no way at all.  Some excuses are better than none, others are not.  It is precisely the truth of such talk that makes it detraction; if it were not true, it would not be detraction but calumny—­another and a very different fault.  It would be well for such people to reflect for a moment, and ask themselves if their own character would stand the strain of having their secret sins and failings subjected to public criticism and censure, their private shortcomings heralded from every housetop.  Would they, or would they not, consider themselves injured by such revelations?  Then it would be in order for them to use the same rule and measure in dealing with others.