lence, or slip by chance into a
bad place or bad company, he that should so represent the gross of
that accident, as to breed an opinion of that person, that out of
pure disposition and design he did put himself there, doth
slanderously abuse that innocent person. The reporter in such cases
must not think to defend himself by pretending that he spake nothing
false; for such propositions, however true in logic, may justly be
deemed lies in morality, being uttered with a malicious and
deceitful (that is, with a calumnious) mind, being apt to impress
false conceits and to produce hurtful effects concerning our
neighbour. There are slanderous truths as well as slanderous
falsehoods: when truth is uttered with a deceitful heart, and to a
base end, it becomes a lie. "He that speaketh truth," saith the
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
disli