On the Decay of the Art of Lying

the deduction that it is then a Virtue goes without saying

lying is a necessity of our circumstances

One ought always to lie, when one can do good by it;

silent lie—the deception which one conveys by simply keeping still and concealing the truth.

What I bemoan is the growing prevalence of the brutal truth. Let us do what we can to eradicate it.

The highest perfection of politeness is only a beautiful edifice, built, from the base to the dome, of graceful and gilded forms of charitable and unselfish lying.

None of us could live with an habitual truth-teller; but thank goodness none of us has to.

awkward, unscientific lie is often as ineffectual as the truth.