Project Gutenberg 2004-09-15 Public domain in the USA. 272 Twain, Mark 1835 1910 Clemens, Samuel Langhorne Twain, Mark (Samuel Clemens) On the Decay of the Art of Lying Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Decay_of_the_Art_of_Lying Essay, for discussion, read at a meeting of the Historical and Antiquarian Club of Hartford, and offered for the thirty-dollar prize. (Did not take the prize.) "On the Decay of the Art of Lying" by Mark Twain is an essay written in the late 19th century. The book critiques the state of lying in society, arguing that while the act of lying remains as prevalent as ever, the skill and art associated with it have deteriorated. Twain humorously proposes that lying is not only a necessity but a refined practice that requires understanding and cultivation. In this thought-provoking essay, Mark Twain discusses the contradictions of truth and lying, advocating for what he calls "judicious lying." He argues that while everyone lies, the art of doing so thoughtfully and benevolently is essential in social interactions. Using anecdotes and keen observations, he illustrates how common forms of polite deception serve to enhance human relationships rather than harm them. Twain laments the absence of graceful lying and suggests that maintaining polite falsehoods can prevent unnecessary discomfort, encouraging a balanced consideration of when and how to lie with good intent. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 65.5 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en American essays -- 19th century Truthfulness and falsehood PS Text Category: Humour Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: American Literature 41136 2025-08-01T13:56:31.229934 text/html 40957 2025-01-08T00:55:40.160590 text/html 85071 2025-08-01T13:56:34.823905 application/epub+zip 83845 2025-08-01T13:56:32.850899 application/epub+zip 83846 2025-08-01T13:56:31.825907 application/epub+zip 181997 2025-08-01T13:56:36.368900 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 175554 2025-08-01T13:56:34.237923 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 139428 2022-09-02T04:45:51.422997 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 32675 2025-08-01T13:56:31.012923 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 32617 2021-01-01T00:09:16 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 12936 2021-01-01T00:09:16 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 17809 2025-08-01T13:56:36.525881 application/rdf+xml 13959 2025-08-01T13:56:32.343909 image/jpeg 3695 2025-08-01T13:56:32.075915 image/jpeg 81775 2025-08-01T13:56:31.235901 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia