On the Decay of the Art of Lying

A very short but quite funny examination of the sad state ot that most noble and necessary art: lying. This short essay is in the same vein as Eramus's In Praise of Folly, and just as satisfying.
Once again, Mark Twin is the master of essays, this time about lying. It's done in an over the top fashion, making you realize that we're all liars on a daily basis, and we do it reflexively but that it's a dying art.
Twain argues that we don't lie for the right reasons, and we need to address that. The essay is a bit short but still poignant even today. Twain's at his best.