There is nothing that more betrays a base ungenerous spirit than the giving of secret stabs to a man's reputation. Lampoons and satires, that are written with wit and spirit, are like poisoned darts, which not only inflict a wound, but make it incurable.

Every one in a crowd has the power to throw dirt: nine out of ten have the inclination.

Into the space of one little hour sins enough may be conjured up by evil tongues to blast the fame of a whole life of virtue.

If a man could say nothing against a character but what he can prove, history could not be written.

People are more slanderous from vanity than from malice.

Folk whose own behavior is most ridiculous are always to the fore in slandering others.

Calumny ever pursues the great, even as the winds hurl themselves on high places.

What is slander? A verdict of "guilty" pronounced in the absence of the accused, with closed doors, without defence or appeal, by an interested and prejudiced judge.

Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny.

Slander lives upon succession, For ever housed where it gets possession.