On the Decay of the Art of Lying

by Mark Twain

[*] Did not take the prize.

I wonder if accusing the audience of being adept & well practiced liars had any bearing on this outcome

I trust it will in most cases be more in a spirit of admiration than fault-finding;

I have to hand it to you gentlemen, you are an incredibly untrustworthy group

[It had been my intention, at this point, to mention names and to give illustrative specimens, but indications observable about me admonished me to beware of the particulars and confine myself to generalities.]

I was going to call out some of you duplicitous fools but my keen social awareness tells me that might not go over the best

therefore, it goes without saying that this one ought to be taught in the public schools--even in the newspapers.

Mark Twain is a fan of fake news, I would say he would have enjoyed the Trump era if weren't for he fact that he specifically enjoys well crafted lies and this has been more of an unending amateur hour

Note that venerable proverb: Children and fools _always_ speak the truth. The deduction is plain --adults and wise persons _never_ speak it.

that commonest and mildest form of lying which is sufficiently described as a deflection from the truth.

"How are you?" No matter what: "Good, how are you?"

If a stranger called and interrupted you, you said with your hearty tongue, "I'm glad to see you," and said with your heartier soul, "I wish you were with the cannibals and it was dinner-time."

Twain you absolute savage