"It was the rule of Holt, Chief Justice, to make words actionable whenever they sound to the disreputation of the person of whom they were spoken; and this was also Hale's and Twieden's rule; and I think it a very good rule."

"It is not the truth or falsehood that makes a libel, but the temper with which it is published."

"Everything printed or written, which reflects on the character of another, and is published without lawful justification or excuse, is a libel, whatever the intention may have been."

"There are calumnies against which even innocence loses courage."

"A nickname a man may chance to wear out; but a system of calumny, pursued by a faction, may descend even to posterity. This principle has taken full effect on this state favorite."

"Calumny is only the noise of madmen."

"Nihil est autem tam volucre, quam maledictum; nihil facilius emittitur; nihil citius excipitur, latius dissipatur."

"Soft-buzzing Slander; silly moths that eat An honest name."

"Homines qui gestant, quique auscultant crimina, Si meo arbitratu liceat, omnes pendeant, Gestores linguis, auditores auribus."

"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."

"Cut Men's throats with whisperings."

"Where it concerns himself, Who's angry at a slander, makes it true."

"If slander be a snake, it is a winged one—it flies as well as creeps."

"There are * * * robberies that leave man or woman forever beggared of peace and joy, yet kept secret by the sufferer."

"An injurious lie is an uncommendable thing; and so, also, and in the same degree, is an injurious truth—a fact that is recognized by the law of libel."

"It takes your enemy and your friend, working together, to hurt you to the heart; the one to slander you and the other to get the news to you."

"The eyes of the slanderer always move around as shiftily as a spindle. You should never remain in his presence; his intentions should not be allowed to have an effect on you."

"Silence to man and prayer to God are the best cures for the evil of slander."

"The breath Of accusation kills an innocent name, And leaves for lame acquittal the poor life, Which is a mask without it."

"Calumny will sear Virtue itself;—these shrugs, these hums, and ha's."

"If I can do it By aught that I can speak in his dispraise, She shall not long continue love to him."

"That thou art blamed shall not be thy defect, For slander's mark was ever yet the fair; * * * * So thou be good, slander doth but approve Thy worth the greater."

"I am disgrac'd, impeach'd and baffled here,— Pierc'd to the soul with slander's venom'd spear."

"I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue, Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devis'd this slander."

"Done to death by slanderous tongues, Was the Hero that here lies."

"Slander'd to death by villains, That dare as well answer a man indeed As I dare take a serpent by the tongue: Boys, apes, braggarts, Jacks, milksops!"

"One doth not know How much an ill word may empoison liking."

"No might nor greatness in mortality Can censure 'scape; back-wounding calumny The whitest virtue strikes. What king so strong, Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue?"

"King: So haply slander- Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter, As level as the cannon to his blank, Transports his poisoned shot- may miss our name And hit the woundless air.- O, come away! My soul is full of discord and dismay."

"Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny."

"Virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes."

"'Tis slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue Outvenoms all the worms of Nile, whose breath Rides on the posting winds and doth belie All corners of the world; kings, queens and states, Maids, matrons, nay, the secrets of the grave This viperous slander enters."

"For slander lives upon succession, Forever housed where it gets possession."

"Alexander von Humboldt (seeing a newspaper containing slanderous falsehoods against Jefferson on the President's desk) : Why do you not have the fellow hung who dares to write these abominable lies? Thomas Jefferson : What! hang the guardians of the public morals? No, sir, — rather would I protect the spirit of freedom which dictates even that degree of abuse. Put that paper into your pocket, my good friend, carry it with you to Europe, and when you hear any one doubt the reality of American freedom, show them that paper, and tell them where you found it. Humboldt : But is it not shocking that virtuous characters should be defamed? Jefferson : Let their actions refute such libels. Believe me, virtue is not long darkened by the clouds of calumny; and the temporary pain which it causes is infinitely overweighed by the safety it insures against degeneracy in the principles and conduct of public functionaries. When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property."

"Woe unto every slandering traducer."

"Do not repeat slander; you should not hear it, for it is the result of hot temper."

"A generous heart repairs a slanderous tongue."

"'T was Slander filled her mouth with lying words, Slander, the foulest whelp of Sin."

"For oh, 'twas nuts to the Father of Lies, (As this wily fiend is named in the Bible) To find it settled by Laws so wise That the greater the truth, the worse the libel."

"This is not a book. This is libel, slander, defamation of character. This is not a book, in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in the face of Art, a kick in the pants to God, Man, Destiny, Time, Love, Beauty … what you will."

"Audacter calumniare, quia semper aliquid adhæret. Hurl your calumnies boldly, for something is sure to stick."

"Truth is generally the best vindication against slander."

"If you think you can, by slandering a woman make her love you, or by vilifying a man make him vote with you, go on and try it."

"Persisting in a charge which one does not know to be true, is simply malicious slander."

"Peter Parker: Spider-Man wasn't terrorizing the city, he was trying to save it! It's slander!"