Complete. From “Resolves, Divine, Moral, and Political.”

IN some dispositions there is such an envious kind of pride, that they cannot endure that any but themselves should be set forth as excellent: so that when they hear one justly praised, they will either openly detract from his virtues; or, if those virtues be, like a clear and shining light, eminent and distinguished, so that he cannot be safely traduced by the tongue, they will then raise a suspicion against him by a mysterious silence, as if there were something remaining to be told, which overclouded even his brightest glory. Surely if we considered detraction to proceed, as it does, from envy, and to belong only to deficient minds, we should find that to applaud virtue would procure us far more honor than underhandedly seeking to disparage her. The former would show that we loved what we commended; while the latter tells the world we grudge that in others which we want in ourselves. It is one of the basest offices of man, to make his tongue the lash of the worthy. Even if we do know of faults in others, I think we can scarcely show ourselves more nobly virtuous than in having the charity to conceal them; so that we do not flatter or encourage them in their failings. But to relate anything we may know against our neighbor, in his absence, is most unseemly conduct. And who will not condemn him as a traitor to reputation and society, who tells the private fault of his friend to the public and ill-natured world? When two friends part, they should lock up one another’s secrets, and exchange their keys. The honest man will rather be a grave to his neighbor’s errors, than in any way expose them. The counsel in the satire I much approve:—

	Absentem qui rodit amicum;
	Qui non defendit, alio culpante; solutos
	Qui captat risus hominum, famamque dicacis;
	Fingere qui non visa potest; commissa tacere
	Qui nequit; hic niger est; hunc tu, Romane, caveto.
	—Hor. Sat. I. 4.

	“He who malignant tears an absent friend,
	Or when attacked by others don’t defend;
	Who trivial bursts of laughter strives to raise,
	And courts of prating petulance the praise;
	Of things he never saw, who tells his tale;
	And Friendship’s secrets knows not to conceal;
	This man is vile; here fix your mark;
	His soil is black, as his complexion’s dark.”

And for the most part, he is as dangerous in another vice as in this. He that can detract unworthily, when thou canst not answer him, can flatter thee as unworthily when thou must hear him. It is usual with him to smooth it in the chamber, who keeps a railing tongue for the hall; besides, it implies a kind of cowardice to speak against another when he is not present to defend himself. The valiant man’s tongue, though it never boasteth vainly, yet it is ever the greatest coward in absence; but the coward is never valiant, but then. There is nothing argues Nature more degenerate than her secretly repining at another’s merits. Indeed, it is difficult to speak of a man truly, as he is: but, at any rate, I would not detract from the fame of the absent. It is then a time for praise, rather than for reprehension. Let praise be sounded to the spreading air; but chidings whispered in the kissed ear: which teaches us, even while we chide, to love.