ingenuity, all charity and good-will to men, must be extinct in
those who can with delight, or indeed with patience, lend an ear or
give any countenance to a slanderer: and is not he a very fool who
chooseth to displease the best, only soothing the worst of men?

Fourthly, the slanderer indeed doth banish himself from all
conversation and company, or intruding into it becomes very
disgustful thereto; for he worthily is not only looked upon as an
enemy to those whom he slandereth, but to those also upon whom he
obtrudeth his calumnious discourse. He not only wrongeth the former
by the injury, but he mocketh the latter by the falsehood of his
stories; implicitly charging his hearers with weakness and
credulity, or with injustice and pravity.

Fifthly, he also derogateth wholly from his own credit in all
matters of discourse. For he that dareth thus to injure his
neighbour, who can trust him in anything he speaks? what will not he
say to please his vile humour, or further his base interest? what,
thinks any man, will he scruple or boggle at, who hath the heart in
thus doing wrong and mischief to imitate the devil? Further--

Sixthly, this practice is perpetually haunted with most troublesome
companions, inward regret and self-condemnation, fear and disquiet:
the conscience of dealing so unworthily doth smite and rack him; he
is ever in danger, and thence in fear to be discovered, and requited
for it. Of these passions the manner of his behaviour is a manifest
indication: for men do seldom vent their slanderous reports openly
and loudly, to the face or in the ear of those who are concerned in
them; but do utter them in a low voice, in dark corners, out of
sight and hearing, where they conceit themselves at present safe