know, Sir, that in drawing those Characters, you design'd them for
Monsters to be abhorr'd and detested; and in this you have succeeded to
Admiration, at least with me; for I can assure you, that I never saw
any two Interlocutors in the same Dialogue or Drama, whose Behaviour
and Principles I execrate more heartily, than I do theirs. And if you
would read the _Fable of the Bees_ impartially, you would be convinced
of this, from my Description of the Company I would chuse to converse
with. Upon, such a Condescension, I would likewise demonstrate to you,
how you and I might assist and be useful to one another, as Authors.

You allow, that there are vicious Clergymen, who are unworthy of their
Function. I foresee, that Some of these, who have neither _Crito's_
Learning, nor _Euphranor_'s good Sense, will make use of your
_Alciphron_ for an evil Purpose. Having by their bad Courses made
themselves contemptible to all who know them, they will endeavour to
stop the Mouths of all Opposers, by barely naming the _Minute
Philosopher_; and having, by the Credit of that Book, repell'd the
Censure they had deserv'd, insult the Laity, and lay claim to the
Honour and Deference, which ought only to be paid to worthy Divines.
These I will take in Hand, and convince, that you have not wrote to
justify those Ecclesiasticks, who by their Practice contradict the
Doctrine of _Christ_; and that they misconstrued your Intentions; who
leading vicious Lives themselves, demanded the same Respect from
Others, which you only affirm to be due to Clergymen of Merit and good
Morals. And as I would handle these, so you, in like Manner, would take
to Task those vile Profligates, who, copying after your Originals,
should at any Time endeavour to shelter themselves under my Wings.
Should ever a second _Lysicles_ pretend to prove, that the more
Mischief Men did, the more they acted for the Publick Welfare, because
it is said, in _The Fable of the Bees_, that without Vices, no great
Nation can be rich and flourishing, you would laugh at his Folly; and
if, for the same Reason, he urged, that Rapes, Murder, Theft, and all
Manner of Villanies ought to be applauded, or at least pass'd by with
Impunity, you would demonstrate to him, how immensly far my Design was
from screening Criminals, and shew him the many Passages, where I
insist upon it, that impartial Justice ought to be administer'd, and
that even for the Welfare of worldly-minded Men, Crimes should be
s