The three essentials to a false story-teller are:

(a) a good memory,

(b) a bold face,

(c) fools for an audience.

The essence of lying is in deception, not in words; a lie may be told by silence, by equivocation, by the accent on a syllable, by a glance of the eye attaching a peculiar significance to a sentence; and all these kinds of lies are worse and baser by many degrees than a lie plainly worded; so that no form of blinded conscience is so far sunk as that which comforts itself for having deceived, because the deception was by gesture or silence instead of utterance; and finally, according to Tennyson's deep and trenchant line, "A lie which is half a truth is ever the worst of lies."

-JOHN RUSKIN.

Mal-information is more hopeless than non-information; for error is always more busy than ignorance. Ignorance is a blank sheet on which we may write; but error is a scribbled one on which we must first erase. Ignorance is contented to stand still with her back to the truth; but error is most presumptuous, and proceeds in the same direction. Ignorance has no light, but error follows a false one. The consequence is, that error, when she retraces her footsteps, has farther to go, before she can arrive at the truth, than ignorance.

Concealing faults is but adding to them.

-COLTON.

A fault is made worse by endeavouring to conceal it.

Denials make little faults great.

Confession of faults makes half amends. Denying a fault doubles it.

The first step towards amendment is the acknowledgment of a fault.

-CHAMBERS.

In vain thou striv'st to cover shame with shame;
Thou by evasions thy crime uncover'st more.

-MILTON.

An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie, for an excuse is a lie guarded.

-POPE.

Where thou findest a Lie, that is oppressing thee, extinguish it. Lies exist there only to be extinguished; they wait and cry earnestly for extinction. Think well, meanwhile, in what spirit thou wilt do it: not with hatred, with headlong selfish violence; but in clearness of heart, with holy zeal, gently, almost with pity. Thou wouldst not replace such extinct Lie by a new Lie. -THOMAS CARLYLE.

Cross the passes so difficult to cross. (Conquer)

wrath with peace; untruth with truth.

--"SAMAV-EDA,"

1

154. TRUTH (general).

Truth is the most perfect knowledge attainable concerning any given question."

The most incessant occupation of human intellect throughout life is the ascertainment of truth. We are always needing to know what is actually true about something or other.

-JOHN STUART MILL.

All Science is the search of truth, and only as we know the truth of things,

Can we bring forth their good, and make their worth available for use.

-CHARLES HENRY HANGER.

There is nothing greater than truth; and truth should be esteemed the most sacred of all things.

-"RAMAYANA."

Truth is the child of God.

-OLD SPANISH PROVERB.

Truth is Truth

To the end of reckoning.

-SHAKESPEARE.

No truth can contradict another truth.

-HOOKER.

* From A New Catechism, by M. M. Mangasarian.

The evidence which truth carries with it is superior to all argument; it neither wants the support, nor dreads the opposition of the greatest abilities.

-LORD CHATHAM.

Truth can hardly be expected to adapt herself to the crooked policy, and wily sinuosities of worldly affairs; for truth, like light, travels only in straight lines.

-COLTON.

It is a scene of delight to be safe on shore and see a ship tossed at sea, or to be in a fortification and see two armies join battle upon a plain. But it is a pleasure incomparable for the mind to be seated by learning in the fortress of truth, and from thence to view the errors and labours of others.

-LUCRETIUS.

The truth reveals itself in proportion to our patience and knowledge, discovers itself kindly to our pleadings, and leads us, as it is discovered, into deeper truths. -RUSKIN.

To know the truth of things, to have cognisance of that which is real, we must penetrate beneath the surface, eliminate the accidental and irrelevent, and grasp the principle or essence which underlies and interprets ap

pearances.

-DR. CAIRD.

For truth has such a face and such a mien,
As to be loved needs only to be seen.

-DRYDEN.

Where diligence opens the door of the understanding, and impartiality keeps it, truth is sure to find an entrance and a welcome too.

It is by means of reason that one comes to the knowledge of truth; and by means of truth that he gets the peace of his mind; and it is the tranquility of the mind that dispels the misery of men.

"YOGA VASISTHA."*

By the light of truth the darkness of ignorance will be dispelled,

The essence of what is best in things will come to light,

Which will certainly be a source of happiness.

The light of truth will at once show you what is
good and what is evil,

The knowledge of what is good will add to your
prosperity and make you famous in the world.
The moth of superstition will kill itself before the
lamp of truth,

The gloom of ignorance will also disappear and the
light of knowledge will render you happy.

-NARMADASHANKAR.†

When Truth in noon-day splendour shines,
Faint Superstition goes to sleep;

But let Truth's brilliant orb decline,
And she will rise and ware-house keep.

Once more her busy streets will ring
With Vanity's gay sons and daughters;

*Translated by Vihâri Lâlâ Mitra.
+ A Gujarati poct.