Charles Portis Quotes

It is perfectly monstrous,' he said, at last, 'the way people go about nowadays saying things against one behind one's back that are absolutely and entirely true.

For enemies carry about slander not in the form in which it took its rise . The scandal of men is everlasting; even then does it survive when you would suppose it to be dead.

When a mean wretch cannot vie with another in virtue, out of his wickedness he begins to slander. The abject envious wretch will slander the virtuous man when absent, but when brought face to face his loquacious tongue becomes dumb.

Calumny ever pursues the great, even as the winds hurl themselves on high places.

Whoever recounts to you the faults of your neighbour will doubtless expose your defects to others.

The slander of some people is as great a recommendation as the praise of others.

Quick-circulating slanders mirth afford; and reputation bleeds in every word.

The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them.

Slander strongly and some will stick.

People are going to talk bad about you no matter who you are.

This actress named Lisa Eilbacher. I was up for the part in Shampoo and friends of mine kept telling me she was going around saying all these bad things about me. It's like we're still in the sixth grade sometimes.

Those whose conduct gives room for talk are always the first to attack their neighbors.

Hating anything in the way of ill-natured gossip ourselves, we are always grateful to those who do it for us and do it well.

No one is safe from slander. The best way is to pay no attention to it, but live in innocence and let the world talk.

To speak behind others' backs is the ventilator of the heart.

There is nothing which wings its flight so swiftly as calumny, nothing is uttered with more ease; nothing is listened to with more readiness, nothing disbursed more widely.

It often happens that those are the best people whose characters have been most injured by slanderers: as we usually find that to be the sweetest fruit which the birds have been picking at.

Gossip is never fatal until it is denied. Gossip goes on about every human being alive and about all the dead that are alive enough to be remembered, and yet almost never does any harm until some defender makes a controversy. Gossip's a nasty thing, but it's sickly, and if people of good intentions will let it entirely alone, it will die, ninety-nine times out of a hundred.

I never listen to calumnies, because if they are untrue I run the risk of being deceived, and if they be true, of hating persons not worth thinking about.

Into the space of one little hour sins enough may be conjured up by evil tongues to blast the fame of a whole life of virtue.

Rumors are spread by jealous people

I don't care how unkind the things people say about me so long as they don't say them to my face.

No one loves to tell of scandal except to him who loves to hear it. Learn, then, to rebuke and check the detracting tongue by showing that you do not listen to it with pleasure.