Themeninthatfarcountrywereliars，everyone。Theirmerehowdy—dowasalie，because_they_didn\'tcarehowyoudid，excepttheywereundertakers。Totheordinaryinquireryouliedinreturn；foryoumadenoconscientiousdiagnosticofyourcase，butansweredatrandom，andusuallymisseditconsiderably。Youliedtotheundertaker，andsaidyourhealthwasfailing—awhollycommendablelie，sinceitcostyounothingandpleasedtheotherman。
Ifastrangercalledandinterruptedyou，yousaidwithyourheartytongue，\"I\'mgladtoseeyou，\"andsaidwithyourheartiersoul，\"Iwishyouwerewiththecannibalsanditwasdinner—time。\"Whenhewent，yousaidregretfully，\"_Must_yougo？\"andfolloweditwitha\"Callagain；\"butyoudidnoharm，foryoudidnotdeceiveanybodynorinflictanyhurt，whereasthetruthwouldhavemadeyoubothunhappy。
Ithinkthatallthiscourteouslyingisasweetandlovingart，andshouldbecultivated。Thehighestperfectionofpolitenessisonlyabeautifuledifice，built，fromthebasetothedome，ofgracefulandgildedformsofcharitableandunselfishlying。
WhatIbemoanisthegrowingprevalenceofthebrutaltruth。Letusdowhatwecantoeradicateit。Aninjurioustruthhasnomeritoveraninjuriouslie。
Neithershouldeverbeuttered。Themanwhospeaksaninjurioustruthlesthissoulbenotsavedifhedootherwise，shouldreflectthatthatsortofasoulisnotstrictlyworthsaving。Themanwhotellsalietohelpapoordeviloutoftrouble，isoneofwhomtheangelsdoubtlesssay，\"Lo，hereisanheroicsoulwhocastshisownwelfareinjeopardytosuccorhisneighbor\'s；