Mr. Vamp, Mr. Killthedead, and Mr. Anyside Antijack were all very loud in their encomiums of the wine, which Mr. Paperstamp observed had been tasted for him by his friend Mr. Feathernest, who was a great connoisseur in ‘Sherris sack.’ Mr. Derrydown was very intent on keeping the bottle in motion, in the hope of bringing the members of the critico-poetical council into that state of blind self-love, when the great vacuum of the head, in which brain was, like Mr. Harris’s indefinite article, _supplied by negation_, would be inflated with oenogen gas, or, in other words, with the fumes of wine, the effect of which, according to psychological chemistry, is, after filling up every chink and crevice of the cranial void, to evolve through the labial valve, bringing with it all the secrets both of memory and anticipation which had been carefully laid up in the said chinks and crevices. This state at length arrived; and Mr. Derrydown, to quicken its operation, contrived to pick a quarrel with Mr. Vamp, who being naturally very testy and waspish, poured out upon him a torrent of invectives, to the infinite amusement of Mr. Derrydown, who, however, affecting to be angry, said to him in a tragical tone, Thus in dregs of folly sunk, Art thou, miscreant, mad or drunk? Cups intemperate always teach Virulent abusive speech.[97] This produced a general cry of ‘Chair! chair!’ Mr. Paperstamp called Mr. Derrydown to order. The latter apologised with as much gravity as he could assume, and said, to make amends for his warmth, he would give them a toast, and pronounced accordingly: ‘Your scheme for extinguishing the light of the human understanding: may it meet the success it merits.’ _Mr. Anyside Antijack._ Nothing can be in a more hopeful train. We must set the alarmists at work, as in the Antijacobin war: when, to be sure, we had one or two honest men among our opposers[98]—(_Mr. Feathernest and Mr. Paperstamp smiled and bowed_)—though they were for the most part ill-read in history, and ignorant of human nature.[99] _Mr. Feathernest and Mr. Paperstamp._ How, sir? _Mr. Anyside Antijack._ For the most part, observe me. Of course I do not include my quondam antagonists, and now very dear friends, Mr. Paperstamp and Mr. Feathernest, who have altered their minds, as the sublime Burke altered his mind,[100] from the most disinterested motives. _Mr. Forester._ Yet there are some persons, and those not the lowest in the scale of moral philosophy, who have called the sublime Burke a pensioned apostate. _Mr. Vamp._ Moral philosophy! Every man who talks of moral philosophy is a thief and a rascal, and will never make any scruple of seducing his neighbour’s wife, or stealing his neighbour’s property.[101] _Mr. Forester._ You can prove that assertion of course. _Mr. Vamp._ Prove it! The editor of the Legitimate Review required to prove an assertion!