and are
therefore _Men of Sense_, but are nevertheless vicious and dishonest
Men, as appears from the whole Tenour of their Conduct in Life.
_S._ Can Vice consist with any Man's true Interest, or
contribute to his Happiness.
_C._ No certainly; for in Proportion as a Man is vicious he
loses the Favour of God and Man, and brings upon himself many
Inconveniences, the least of which is capable of marring and
demolishing his Happiness.
_S._ How then does it appear that those vicious Men have the
Knowledge we have been speaking of, which constitutes _a Man of
Sense_, since they act directly contrary?
_C._ It appears by their Discoursing perfectly well upon the
Subjects of Vice and Virtue, when they occur in Conversation, and by
the just Manner in which they express their Thoughts of the
pernicious Consequences of the one, and the happy Effects of the
other.
_S._ Is it the Knowledge of all the Terms and Expressions
proper to be used in Discoursing well upon the Subject of making a
good Shoe, that constitutes a Shoemaker; or is it the Knowing how to
go about it and do it?
_C._ I own it is the latter, and not the former.
_S._ And if one who could only _talk finely_ about Shoe-making,
were to be set to work, would he not presently discover his Ignorance
in that Art?
_C._ He would, I confess.
_S._ Can the Man who is only able to talk justly of Virtue and
Vice, and to say that "Drunkenness, Gluttony and Lewdness destroy a
Man's Constitution; waste his Time and Substance, and bring him under
many Misfortunes, (to the Destruction of his Happiness) which the
contrary Virtues would enable him to avoid;" but notwithstanding his
talking thus, continues in those Vices; can such a Man deserve the
Character of a Temperate and Chaste Man? Or does not that Man rather
deserve it, who having _a thorough Sense_ that what the other has
said is true, _knows_ also _how_ to resist the Temptation to those
Vices, and embrace Virtue with a hearty and steady Affection?
_C.
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