The flying rumours gather'd as the roll'd,
Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told;
And all read more

The flying rumours gather'd as the roll'd,
Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told;
And all who told it added something new.
And all who heard it made enlargements too.

And what so tedious as a twice-told tale.

And what so tedious as a twice-told tale.

What some invent the rest enlarge.

What some invent the rest enlarge.

This story will never go down.

This story will never go down.

But that's another story.

But that's another story.

Every rumor is believed against the unfortunate.
[Lat., Ad calamitatem quilibet rumor valet.]

Every rumor is believed against the unfortunate.
[Lat., Ad calamitatem quilibet rumor valet.]

Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell.

Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell.

There is nothing which cannot be perverted by being told badly.

There is nothing which cannot be perverted by being told badly.

It (rumour) has a hundred tongues, a hundred mouths, a voice of
iron.
[Lat., Linguae centum sunt, oraque read more

It (rumour) has a hundred tongues, a hundred mouths, a voice of
iron.
[Lat., Linguae centum sunt, oraque centum
Ferrea vox.]