from The Art of Worldly Wisdom Prevent scandal. lxxxvi
Many heads come together to form a mob, and each one of them has an eye to malign and a tongue to undermine. If one bad rumor spreads, it tarnishes your fair reputation, and if it clings to you with nicknames, your reputation is in jeopardy. Generally, the source of a rumor is a glaring flaw or a ridiculous trait. Sometimes private jealousy is maliciously added to general distrust. For there are wicked tongues that spoil great reputations more easily by witty ridicule than by direct accusation. It is easy to get a bad reputation. It is easy to believe someone’s bad reputation, but it is not easy to clear one’s own doubts. The wise, therefore, avoid these misfortunes and prevent vulgar scandals by careful vigilance. Preventing is much easier than correcting.
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