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• Applewood Books: On the Decay of the Art of Lying
• ICSE Class 9/10 Literature lessons
• My Summary on “On the Decay of the Art of Lying” by Mark Twain
• On the Decay of the Art of Lying (American Roots)

But throughout the story Satan expels his wisdom on the character and futility of mankind. Scott's discourses on the psychological, religious, physical, and preternatural explanations for contemporary beliefs in ghosts, witches, warlocks, fairies, elves, diabolism, the occult, and even werewolvesare are essential for acolytes of the dark and macabre. The letters dealing with witch hunts, trials, and torture are morbidly compelling.

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Scott was neither fully pro-rational modernity nor totally anti-superstitious past. This is a selection from The Jungle Book , in which a mongoose saves the day. His enduring, no-nonsense guide for the first-time traveler also served as an antidote to the insufferably romantic travel books of the period. Never heard of each other. Only about the works.

Conversation turns to the two impressive works of art that Horley has recently added to his collection Mark Twain composed this short essay on the "art of lying" in for a meeting of the Historical and Antiquarian Club of Hartford, Connecticut. In the essay, Twain laments the four ways in which men of America's Gilded Age employ man's "most faithful friend". The essay, Twain notes, was "offered for the thirty-dollar prize," but it "did not take the prize.

Though a rather short story, it is well worth listening to. Loaded with infallible truths and lies. Your audiobook is waiting…. On the Decay of the Art of Lying. By: Mark Twain. Narrated by: Brian Troxel. Length: 16 mins. Categories: Classics , American Literature. People who bought this also bought Dove Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins Unabridged Overall. Publisher's Summary Mark Twain composed this short essay on the "art of lying" in for a meeting of the Historical and Antiquarian Club of Hartford, Connecticut. However, to say out of sixteen ladies, fourteen were not at home would have been rude.

So, they said the same thing, though in a round-abut way. The distant land Mark Twain visited had this practice of couching a truth in soft polite words, so that the sting of a brutal truth does not jar the listeners. Then the Speaker proceeds to describe the men folk in that land where the group of women went meet eighteen of their friends with no desire to socialize, but to artificially appear nice. The Speaker says that the men folk too were equally casual in their feelings for their fellow men. However, they had no real concern about the person they are posing this question to.

It was just a formality. Quite curiously, the person being greeted would also answer in the same perfunctory style, without disclosing the joy or sorrow he is encountering. If the second person said that his health was failing, the first person would feel elated instead of being concerned. Thus, the practice of exchanging greetings was based on pretence and falsehood. The Speaker cites another such dialogue that is so very deceitful. Inside his mind he might be having a burning rage against the person he is being so congenial with.

However, he manages to conceal it through a pretence which is just a plain lie.

ICSE Class 9/10 Literature lessons

Thus the mutual acrimony gets hidden through the exchange of niceties. In such a situation, falsehood appears so desirable. If the two persons become truthful, and vent their inner hateful feelings truthfully, disaster would follow. Mark Twain concludes that the practice of telling lies, when cultivated judiciously, can greatly benefit society by ensuring harmony and goodwill. In the same breath, an injurious lie can also prove to be quite damaging to human relationships.

So, the Speaker concludes, both the unpleasant truth and lie should be eschewed. If a person feels not speaking the unpleasant truth would sully his soul, he should realize that it is never immoral or unjust to conceal the truth if it proves to be hurtful. In the same way, telling a lie that saves a man from a great difficulty is a very desirable trait. This distinction is recognized in the law of the libel. The Speaker narrates a dinner table conversation with a righteous lady of high moral standing. After a while, when the children were gone, she broached the subject again.

The Speaker reaffirmed his view that his host was indeed a liar. She was taken aback, and offended. She demanded to know a single instance where she had lied. The Speaker drew her attention to a service slip she had filled in for a nurse deputed to her house to attend upon a sick member of the family. The host had given her a clean chit ticking all boxes in the form.

The nurse had failed in a minor aspect, but the host graciously overlooked it. It so happened that the nurse got hired for another patient in a different household. Sadly, the patient died. He told his host that her giving a clean chit and hiding the lapse of the nurse caused the death of the patient.

Thus, the host had lied. She went to apprise the bereaved family about the apparent neglect by the nurse which she had noticed earlier. Such a report was totally un-necessary, because the patient had already died.

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Nonetheless, the lady sent a note to the hospital that had deputed the nurse. In the note, the host mentioned the failing on the part of the nurse which had been omitted in the earlier feedback form. Mark Twain now returns to his argument.

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It's done in an over the top fashion, making you realize that we're all liars on a daily basis, and we do it reflexively but that it's a dying art. Twain argues that we don't lie for the right reasons, and we need to address that. The essay is a bit short but still poignant even today. Twain's at his best in this essay, and it's well worth the download - even better because it's free.

Mark Twain may just be one of the best American writers to have graced my bookshelf. The man's sly wit, topical humor and easy-going manner make me love him more and more with each book I read. This book is no exception. Tongue firmly in cheek, Twain informs the reader on the art of lying and how to be successful in pursuing it. If you're a Twain fan, you'll want to read this book. And if you're not, you should read this book and become one!

Classic Samuel Clemens--excellent use of language, both subtle and obvious humor, with a good dose of philosophy and insight into human nature thrown in so well that you don't even realize you're "learning"--until you finish the book, and find yourself thinking about it later. I firmly believe Samuel Clemens is incapable of writing a "bad" book, and having the chance to read this old friend again is a real pleasure. If you're new to the Kindle experience--or a seasoned user who BUYS books for Kindle, looking through the extensive list of free offerings is well worth the time, as there are a wide variety of old books that are just as entertaining and thought provoking today as they were when they were written--and this is one of those books.

This quick read is awash with Twain's sly humor. In typical Twain fashion, he backhandedly compliments his audience this was an essay read to an historical club for a potential cash prize for the brands of lies and truths they tell. The issue isn't that people lie--he readily admits that we all do it--it's that people tend do it poorly and for all the wrong reasons.

The premise boils down to this: Why tell a brutal truth when a harmless lie will save face for all involved? Why tell a malicious lie or truth at all?

On the Decay of the Art of Lying (American Roots)

And if one chooses to lie, for heaven's sake, don't be clumsy about it. While Mr. Twain didn't win any cash for his essay and why would he, given that much of the text is dedicated to humorously poking the judges in the eye? His points are applicable and their presentation entertaining. It's surely worth the minute investment--though apparently not worth thirty bucks to the Historical and Antiquarian Club of Hartford!

This is one of Twain's sharpest, funniest essays, in which he points out that lying is essential to civilization, so one ought to strive to do it as well as possible. Think of the poor untrained liar, Twain says, faced by a lawyer. Twain brilliantly and satirically manufactures noble reasons for an audience and culture who unconsciously and without viciousness have twisted their professed ideals. He's an Old Testament prophet with jokes. The essay takes no time at all to read, but it packs a punch.

It is a typical piece by Clemens with his typical humorous sarcasm. It makes me smile to read it, especial to think that lying can have an ethical purpose as he suggests at the end: "the wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil one; to lie for others' advantage, and not our own; to lie healingly, charitably, humanely, not cruelly, hurtfully, maliciously; to lie gracefully and graciously, not awkwardly and clumsily; to lie firmly, frankly, squarely, with head erect, not haltingly, tortuously, with pusillanimous mien, as being ashamed of our high calling.

An essay of which the main point is: lying is universal, we all do it and it occurs everyday. Twain advocates however for "judicious", practiced and graceful lying. Lying meant to pacify peoples hearts and not soil yourself in their eyes by espousing the 'brutal truth' is the key, otherwise you're doing an injustice to both yourself and he you're telling the "truth" to. Sparing people's feelings, raising their heavy hearts and lightening their sorrows A very humanitarian effort, if you will.

I personally advocate for the latter - I'm a 'brutal truth' kind of person.