The Euphemisms of Stealing
By Editor
QUITE a stir has been made of late over the charge that Canon Fleming, of the Church of England, had appropriated one of Dr. Talmage's sermons, and had preached it as his own. The Canon now admits the deed, and confesses that he was guilty of an "inadvertance." This is the latest euphemism for stealing. What with "defalcations," "shortages," "failures," "appropriations," "inadvertances," etc., we shall soon have no such thing as stealing. Then will all the world be honest! But it will be honesty that will correspond to the chastity of the ancient Spartans, among whom, we are told, it was impossible to find an adulterer, and that they knew not what the name adultery meant. This, however, was solely because what is now universally known as adultery was exceedingly common, and was sanctioned by law. This seeking to relieve a thing of the odium attached to it, by changing its name, is indirectly encouraged by those who think to avoid the imputation of breaking the fourth commandment, by calling the first day of the week the seventh.