c'd, the Laws obey'd, and the
Transgressors punish'd._ If he had only read the first Edition, a
little Book in Twelves, a Man of _Dion's_ Virtue and Integrity could
not have stifled the Care I have taken in Fifty Places, nor the many
Cautions I have given, that I might not offend or be misunderstood: On
the Contrary, he would have made use of them, to undeceive his Friends,
and prevented their groundless Fears and senseless Insinuations. If
_Dion_ had read what I have said about the Fire of _London_, Nothing
but his Politeness could have hinder'd him from bursting out into a
loud Laughter at the judicious Remark of the Learned _Crito_, where he
points at the Probability, that the late Incendiaries had taken the
Hint of their Villainies from _The Fable of the Bees_.

I can't say, that there are not several Passages in that Dialogue,
which would induce one to believe, that you had dipt into _The Fable of
the Bees_; but then to suppose, that upon having only dipt in it, you
would have wrote against it as you have done, would be so injurious to
your Character, the Character of an honest Man, that I have not
Patience to reason upon such an uncharitable Supposition. I know very
well, Sir, that I am addressing my self to a Man of Parts, a Master in
Logick, and a subtle Metaphysician, not to be imposed upon by Sophistry
or false Pretences: Therefore I beg of you, carefully to examine what I
have said hitherto, and you'll be convinced; that my not believing you
to have read _The Fable of the Bees_, can proceed from Nothing but the
good Opinion I have of your Worth and Candour, which I hope I shall
never have any Occasion to alter. You are not the first, Sir, by five
hundred, who has been very severe upon _The Fable of the Bees_ without
having ever read it. I have been at Church my self when the Book in
Question has been preach'd against with great Warmth by a worthy
Divine, who own'd, that he had never seen it; and there are living
Witnesses now, Persons of unquestion'd Reputation, who heard it as well
as I.

After all, you have advanced Nothing in the second Dialogue concerning
me, which it may not be proved to have been said or insinuated over and
over in Pamphlets, Sermons and News-Papers of all Sorts and Parties. I
can help you to another very good Reason why a Man of Sense might not
mistrust the ill Report, that has been spread about _The Fable of the
Bees_, and write against it in general Terms, tho' he had not read it.