Nor will I aggravate my crime, by disingenuous palliations.

This, however, he never attempted, and must therefore be classed, in this respect, with such writers as Byron, whose powers gilded their pollutions, less than their pollutions degraded and defiled their powers; nay, perhaps he should be ranked even lower than the noble bard, whose obscenities are not so gross, and who had, besides, to account for them the double palliations of passion and of despair.

The agony I was enduring was so intolerable, and its real relief so impossible, like a child I caught at some fancied palliation, and craved only that.

To these great evils nothing more than very imperfect palliations had seemed possible; but Mr. Hare's system affords a radical cure.

There is no abuse or corruption that does not there find a jesuitical palliation or a bare-faced vindication.

I replied, in deep affectation of the criminality involved, that the only palliation I could offer, for conduct so outrageous was, that it was unwittingly done, it seemed so natural.

You can usually think of some more or less plausible palliation for embezzlement, say, or for robbing a cathedral or even for committing suicidebut no man can ever explain how he happened to fall in love.

To us, however, who can hardly subscribe to the doctrine that "Vice loses half its evil by losing all its grossness"; neither the remoteness of time, nor the gaiety of the season, furnishes a sufficient palliation.