You can best reward a liar by believing nothing of what he says.

You can best reward a liar by believing nothing of what he says.

Why would anyone lie? The truth is always more colorful.

Why would anyone lie? The truth is always more colorful.

The lie is a condition of life.

The lie is a condition of life.

You lie--under a mistake--
For this is the most civil sort of lie
That can be given read more

You lie--under a mistake--
For this is the most civil sort of lie
That can be given to a man's face, I now
Say what I think.

And, after all, what is a lie? 'Tis but
The truth in masquerade.

And, after all, what is a lie? 'Tis but
The truth in masquerade.

So near is falsehood to truth that a wise man would do well not
to trust himself on the read more

So near is falsehood to truth that a wise man would do well not
to trust himself on the narrow edge.
[Lat., Ita enim finitima sunt falsa veris ut in praecipitem locum
non debeat se sapiens committere.]

I tell him, if a clergyman, he lies!
If captains the remark, or critics, make,
Why they read more

I tell him, if a clergyman, he lies!
If captains the remark, or critics, make,
Why they lie also--under a mistake.

Round numbers are always false.

Round numbers are always false.

A little inaccuracy sometimes saves a lot of explanations.

A little inaccuracy sometimes saves a lot of explanations.