"I am very much pleased to find you are of my opinion. I have always
thought that the man who will be nothing but a man of wit oftener
disobliges than entertains the company. There is nothing tries our
patience more than that person who arrogantly is ever showing his
superiority over the company he is engaged in. He and his fate I think
very like the woman whose whole ambition is only to be handsome. _She_
is in continual care about her own charms and neglects the world; and
_he_ is always endeavouring to be more witty than all the world, which
makes them both disagreeable companions.

"The warmth with which I attack wit will, I am afraid, be thought to
proceed from the same motive which makes the old and ugly attack the
young and handsome; but if you examine well all those of the character
I have mentioned you will find they are generally but pretenders to
either wit or beauty, and in justification of myself I can say, and
that with great sincerity, I respect wit with judgment, and beauty
with humility, whenever I meet it.

"I have sent the enclosed[11] and desire an answer. I make no more
apologies, for I take you to be in earnest; but if you can talk of
sincerity without having it, I am glad it is in my power to punish
you, for sincerity is not only the favourite expression of my
knight-errant, but it is my darling virtue.

"If I agree with you, that wit is very seldom to be found in
sincerity, it is because I think neither wit nor sincerity is often
found; but daily experience shows us it is want of wit, and not too
much, makes people insincere."