sincerely, unbiass'd by _Fear_ or _Regard_, and then leaves it to the
Persons concern'd to determine for themselves; For he is more pleas'd
in the Bottom to find his Opinion _slighted_, and to see the Conduct
of others agreeable to that System of Folly and Weakness, which he has
established with himself, to be the Course of their Actions.--To view
a rational Conduct, even in pursuance of his own Advice, would greatly
disappoint him; and be a Contradiction to this _System_ he has laid
down;--Besides it would deprive him of an Occasion of gratifying his
Spleen, with the Contempt of that Folly, which he esteems to be
natural to the rest of Mankind; For he considers himself in the World,
like a _sober_ Person in the Company of Men, who are _drunken_ or
_mad_; He may advise them to be calm, and to avoid hurting themselves,
but he does not expect they will regard his Advice; On the
contrary, he is more pleas'd with observing their _Freaks_ and
_Extravagancies_.--It is from hence that he discourages and
depreciates all who pretend to _Discretion_; Persons of this Temper
not yielding him Sport or Diversion.

It is certain that the _Humourist_ is excessively _proud_, and yet
without knowing or suspecting it. For from the Liberty which he
frankly allows to others, of rejecting his Opinion, he is fully
persuaded, that he is free from all _Pride_; But tho' he acts in this
Circumstance without over-bearing, it has already appear'd, not to be
the Effect of his _Humility_, but of a different Motive; a Pleasure
which he takes in observing the Extravagancies of others, rather
than their Discretion. But to demonstrate his _Pride_, besides the
peremptory Manner in which he delivers his Opinion, and conducts
himself upon every Occasion, without any Deference to others, there is
this Circumstance against him; that he is the most stung by a Defeat,
upon any Topic, of all Men living; And although he disregards
Accusations of Roughness and Oddity, and rather esteems them to
be meritorious; yet he will never admit, that he has been fairly
overthrown in a Debate.

It is odd to observe how the _Humourist_ is affected by _contemptuous_
Treatment. An Insult of this Sort, which justly excites the
_Resentment_ of others, _terrifies_ him: It sets him upon _suspecting_
himself, and upon doubting whether he be really that Person of
superior Sense to the rest of the World, which he has long fancied.
The Apprehension, that he actually deserves the Cont