ly comply'd with, as when Bread is dear.

Your _Crito_ and _Euphranor_ are very good Characters; but what I
admire the most in them, is the consummate Patience in keeping Company,
and bearing for a whole Week together, with two such insupportable, out
of the way Rascals, as you have represented _Alciphron_ and _Lysicles_
to be. I believe with you, that among the Vain and Voluptuous, there
are Abundance of superficial People, who call themselves _Free
Thinkers_, and are proud of being thought to be Unbelievers, without
having laid the Foundation of any Philosophy at all. But there never
were Two such Creatures in the World as those whom you have made the
Champions for Free-thinking. I don't speak as to their Irreligion and
Impiety, or their Incapacity of maintaining what they loudly assert;
for such there are many among Rakes and Gamesters. But the Knowledge,
good Sense and Penetration, which your Libertines display at some
Times, are inconsistent with the Ignorance, Folly and Stupidity they
shew at others. It is impossible that Men of Parts, and the least
Spirit, how much soever they were in the Wrong, could see themselves
defeated, banter'd and exposed with so much Tranquility and
Chearfulness; and I can't conceive how any, but egregious Coxcombs,
without Sense of Shame, could behave as _Alciphron_ and _Lysicles_ do
throughout your Dialogues. They are Fellows without Feeling or Manners.
If among Gentlemen there are abandon'd Wretches, who harbour Sentiments
so abominable and openly destructive to Society, as several are which
they advance, I am very well assured, that no well-bred Men would vent
them before Strangers in so shocking a Manner as they do. No Mortal
ever saw such Disputants before; they always begin with swaggering and
boasting of what they'll prove; and in every Argument they pretend to
maintain, they are laid upon their Backs, and constantly beaten to
Pieces, till they have not a Word more to say; and when this has been
repeated above half a Score times, they still retain the same Arrogance
and _mal-a-pert_ Briskness they were made to set out with at first; and
immediately after every Defeat, they are making fresh Challenges,
seemingly with as much Unconcern and Confidence of Success, as if
Nothing had pass'd before, or they remember'd Nothing of what had
happened. Such an Undauntedness in assaulting, and Alacrity in
yielding, as you have made them display, never met in the same
Individuals before.

I