Excess; yet he is
never without Wine of several Sorts, and is very free with it to his
Friends, and all who come to see him. But whatever his Company may do,
he always fills very sparingly for himself, and seldom drinks above
half a Pint at a Sitting. He never goes to a Tavern but about Business;
and when he is alone, Small Beer or Water are the Liquors he chuses.
_Nicanor_, who was always an industrious Man, is become rich by his
Trade, yet as indefatigable as ever, and seems to know no greater
Pleasure than the getting of Money. He is not void of Ambition; is
Deputy of the Ward he lives in, and hopes to be an Alderman before he
dies. Once in his Life he was drunk, but that was in driving a Bargain,
by which he got Five Hundred Pound in one Morning. Let us suppose, that
this Character being likewise look'd into, a Man shou'd take it into
his Head to affirm, that the Industry and Desire after Wealth of
_Nicanor_ were owing to his Love of Wine, One would imagine, that it
would not be difficult to refute this Man, and to prove, that what he
advanced was a wrong Judgment, if not a ridiculous Surmise.

For if _Nicanor_ loved Wine, he would drink more of it. He is rich
enough to buy it, nay he has Plenty of it, tho' he hardly ever touches
it, when he is by himself. He grudges it not to Others; and it is
incredible, that if he loved Wine, he should only fill Thimbles full
for himself, whilst he saw Others drink Bumpers to his Cost with
Pleasure. You will think perhaps, that I have said too much already, to
prove a Thing that is as clear as the Sun. But if it was as reputable,
and 'counted as necessary to real Happiness to love Wine, as it is to
be Religious; and a Man of _Euphranor_'s Capacity had a Mind to be
_Nicanor_'s Advocate, and maintain, that the Love of Wine was the
Motive of his Industry, in Spight of all the Appearances to the
Contrary; if, I say, a Man had a Mind to maintain this, and had
_Euphranor_'s Capacity, he might make a great Shew for his Client,
without the Learning of _Crito_, and would certainly baffle his
Adversaries, if he had such pliable ones as _Alciphron_ and _Lysicles_
to deal with. Come, would _Euphranor_ say, answer me, _Alciphron_; is
it not demonstrable, that the more Money a Man has, the more able he is
to buy Wine. _Alciphron_ would answer, I cannot deny that; and here the
Dialogue would begin. _Euphr._ When there are plain Evidences that a
Man has been drunk, would you deny it to be true?