Themeninthatfarcountrywereliars，everyone。Theirmerehowdy—dowasalie，because_they_didn'tcarehowyoudid，excepttheywereundertakers。Totheordinaryinquireryouliedinreturn；foryoumadenoconscientiousdiagnosticofyourcase，butansweredatrandom，andusuallymisseditconsiderably。Youliedtotheundertaker，andsaidyourhealthwasfailing—awhollycommendablelie，sinceitcostyounothingandpleasedtheotherman。
　　Ifastrangercalledandinterruptedyou，yousaidwithyourheartytongue，"I'mgladtoseeyou，"andsaidwithyourheartiersoul，"Iwishyouwerewiththecannibalsanditwasdinner—time。"Whenhewent，yousaidregretfully，"_Must_yougo？"andfolloweditwitha"Callagain；"butyoudidnoharm，foryoudidnotdeceiveanybodynorinflictanyhurt，whereasthetruthwouldhavemadeyoubothunhappy。
　　Ithinkthatallthiscourteouslyingisasweetandlovingart，andshouldbecultivated。Thehighestperfectionofpolitenessisonlyabeautifuledifice，built，fromthebasetothedome，ofgracefulandgildedformsofcharitableandunselfishlying。
　　WhatIbemoanisthegrowingprevalenceofthebrutaltruth。Letusdowhatwecantoeradicateit。Aninjurioustruthhasnomeritoveraninjuriouslie。
　　Neithershouldeverbeuttered。Themanwhospeaksaninjurioustruthlesthissoulbenotsavedifhedootherwise，shouldreflectthatthatsortofasoulisnotstrictlyworthsaving。Themanwhotellsalietohelpapoordeviloutoftrouble，isoneofwhomtheangelsdoubtlesssay，"Lo，hereisanheroicsoulwhocastshisownwelfareinjeopardytosuccorhisneighbor's；
　　letusexaltthismagnanimousliar。"
　　Aninjuriouslieisanuncommendablething；andso，also，andinthesamedegree，isaninjurioustruth—afactthatisrecognizedbythelawoflibel。
　　Amongothercommonlies，wehavethe_silent_lie—thedeceptionwhichoneconveysbysimplykeepingstillandconcealingthetruth。Manyobstinatetruth—mongersindulgeinthisdissipation，imaginingthatifthey_speak_nolie，theylienotatall。InthatfarcountrywhereIoncelived，therewasalovelyspirit，aladywhoseimpulseswerealwayshighandpure，andwhosecharacteransweredtothem。OnedayIwasthereatdinner，andremarked，inageneralway，thatweareallliars。Shewasamazed，andsaid，"Not_all_？"
　　Itwasbefore"Pinafore's"time。soIdidnotmaketheresponsewhichwouldnaturallyfollowinourday，butfranklysaid，"Yes，_all_—weareallliars。
　　Therearenoexceptions。"Shelookedalmostoffended，"Why，doyouinclude_me_？""Certainly，"Isaid。"Ithinkyouevenrankasanexpert。"Shesaid"Sh—'sh!thechildren!"Sothesubjectwaschangedindeferencetothechildren'spresence，andwewentontalkingaboutotherthings。Butassoonastheyoungpeoplewereoutoftheway，theladycamewarmlybacktothematterandsaid，"Ihavemadearuleofmylifetonevertellalie；andI
　　haveneverdepartedfromitinasingleinstance。"Isaid，"Idon'tmeantheleastharmordisrespect，butreallyyouhavebeenlyinglikesmokeeversinceI'vebeensittinghere。Ithascausedmeagooddealofpain，becauseI'mnotusedtoit。"Sherequiredofmeaninstance—justasingleinstance。
　　SoIsaid—
　　"Well，hereistheunfilledduplicateoftheblank，whichtheOaklandhospitalpeoplesenttoyoubythehandofthesick—nursewhenshecameheretonurseyourlittlenephewthroughhisdangerousillness。Thisblankasksallmannersofquestionsastotheconductofthatsick—nurse：'Didsheeversleeponherwatch？Didsheeverforgettogivethemedicine？'andsoforthandsoon。Youarewarnedtobeverycarefulandexplicitinyouranswers，forthewelfareoftheservicerequiresthatthenursesbepromptlyfinedorotherwisepunishedforderelictions。Youtoldmeyouwereperfectlydelightedwiththisnurse—thatshehadathousandperfectionsandonlyonefault：youfoundyounevercoulddependonherwrappingJohnnyuphalfsufficientlywhilehewaitedinachillychairforhertorearrangethewarmbed。
　　Youfilleduptheduplicateofthispaper，andsentitbacktothehospitalbythehandofthenurse。Howdidyouanswerthisquestion—'Wasthenurseatanytimeguiltyofanegligencewhichwaslikelytoresultinthepatient'stakingcold？'Come—everythingisdecidedbyabethereinCalifornia：tendollarstotencentsyouliedwhenyouansweredthatquestion。"Shesaid，"I