disposition to be talking for its own sake; from which persons often
say anything, good or bad, of others, merely as a subject of
discourse, according to the particular temper they themselves happen
to be in, and to pass away the present time. There is likewise to
be observed in persons such a strong and eager desire of engaging
attention to what they say, that they will speak good or evil, truth
or otherwise, merely as one or the other seems to be most hearkened
to: and this though it is sometimes joined, is not the same with
the desire of being thought important and men of consequence. There
is in some such a disposition to be talking, that an offence of the
slightest kind, and such as would not raise any other resentment,
yet raises, if I may so speak, the resentment of the tongue--puts it
into a flame, into the most ungovernable motions. This outrage,
when the person it respects is present, we distinguish in the lower
rank of people by a peculiar term: and let it be observed, that
though the decencies of behaviour are a little kept, the same
outrage and virulence, indulged when he is absent, is an offence of
the same kind. But, not to distinguish any further in this manner,
men race into faults and follies which cannot so properly be
referred to any one general head as this--that they have not a due
government over their tongue.

And this unrestrained volubility and wantonness of speech is the
occasion of numberless evils and vexations in life. It begets
resentment in him who is the subject of it, sows the seed of strife
and dissension amongst others, and inflames little disgusts and
offences which if let alone would wear away of themselves: it is
often of as bad effect upon the good name of others, as deep envy or
malice: and to say the least of it in this respect, it destroys and
perverts a certain equity of the utmost importance to society to be