wise man, "showeth forth righteousness: but a false witness
deceit." Deceiving is the proper work of slander: and truth abused
to that end putteth on its nature, and will engage into like guilt.

6. Another kind of calumny is, by instilling sly suggestions; which
although they do not downrightly assert falsehoods, yet they breed
sinister opinions in the hearers; especially in those who, from
weakness or credulity, from jealousy or prejudice, from negligence
or inadvertency, are prone to entertain them. This is done many
ways: by propounding wily suppositions, shrewd insinuations, crafty
questions, and specious comparisons, intimating a possibility, or
inferring some likelihood of, and thence inducing to believe the
fact. "Doth not," saith this kind of slanderer, "his temper incline
him to do thus? may not his interest have swayed him thereto? had he
not fair opportunity and strong temptation to it? hath he not acted
so in like cases? Judge you therefore whether he did it not." Thus
the close slanderer argueth; and a weak or prejudiced person is
thereby so caught, that he presently is ready thence to conclude the
thing done. Again: "He doeth well," saith the sycophant, "it is
true; but why, and to what end? Is it not, as most men do, out of
ill design? may he not dissemble now? may he not recoil hereafter?
have not others made as fair a show? yet we know what came of it."
Thus do calumnious tongues pervert the judgments of men to think ill
of the most innocent, and meanly of the worthiest actions. Even
commendation itself is often used calumniously, with intent to breed
dislike and ill-will towards a person commended in envious or
jealous ears; or so as to give passage to dispraises, and render the
accusations following more credible. 'Tis an artifice commonly
observed to be much in use there, where the finest tricks of
supplanting are practised, with greatest effect; so that pessimum