One in the afternoon. Called for my flowered handkerchief. Worked half a violet leaf in it. Eyes aked and head out of order. Threw by my work, and read over the remaining part of Aurengzebe. From three to four. Dined. From four to twelve. Changed my mind, dressed, went abroad, and played at crimp till midnight. Found Mrs. Spitely at home. Conversation: Mrs. Brilliant's necklace false stones. Old lady Loveday going to be married to a young fellow that is not worth a groat. Miss Prue gone into the country. Tom Townley has red hair. Mem. Mrs. Spitely whispered in my ear that the had fomething to tell me about Mr. Froth, I am fure it is not true. Between twelve and one. Dreamed that Mr. Froth lay at my feet, and called me Indamora. SATURDAY. Rose at eight o'clock in the morning. Sat down to my toilette. From eight to nine. Shifted a patch for half an hour before I could determine it. Fixed it above my left eyebrow. From nine to twelve. Drank my tea, and dressed. From twelve to two. At chapel. A great deal of good company. Mem. The third air in the new opera. Lady Blithe dressed frightfully. From three to four. Dined. Miss Kitty called upon me to go to the opera before I was risen from table. From dinner to fix. Drank tea. Turned off a footman for being rude to Veny. Six o'clock. Went to the opera. I did not fee Mr. Froth till the beginning of the second act. Mr. Froth talked to a gentleman in a black wig. Bowed to a lady in the front box. Mr. Froth and his friend clap'd Nicolini in the third act. Mr. Froth cried out Ancora. Mr. Froth led me to my chair. I think he squeez'd my hand. Eleven at night. Went to bed. Melancholy dreams. Methought Nicolini said he was Mr. Froth. SUNDAY. Indisposed. MONDAY. Eight o'clock. Waked by Miss Kitty. Aurengzebe lay upon the chair by me. Kitty repeated without without book the eight best lines in the play. Went in our mobbs to the dumb man according to appointment. Told me that my lover's name began with a G. Mem. The conjuror was within a letter of Mr. Froth's name, &c. ، Upon looking back into this my journal, I find that I am at a loss to know whether I pass my time well or ill; and indeed never thought of confidering • how I did it before I perused your speculation upon that subject. I scarce find a fingle action in these five days that I can thoroughly approve of, except the ⚫ working upon the violet-leaf, which I am resolved to • finith the first day I am at leisure. As for Mr. Froth and Veny, I did not think they took up so much of my ' time and thoughts as I find they do upon my jour'nal. The latter of them I will turn off, if you infift upon it; and if Mr. Froth does not bring matters to a conclufion very fuddenly, I will not let my life run away in a dream, Your bumble fervant, Clarinda. To refume one of the morals of my first paper, and to confirm Clarinda in her good inclinations, I would have her confider what a pretty figure she would make among pofterity, were the history of her whole life published like these five days of fit. it. I shall conclude my paper with an epitaph written by an uncertain author on Sir. Philip Sidney's fister, a lady, who seems to have been of a temper very much different from that of Clarinda. The last thought of it is so very noble, that I dare say my reader will pardon me the quotation. Underneath this marble bearse L Wednesday, ***************** No 324 Wednesday, March 12. 6 O curva in terris animæ, & cæleftium inanes ! Perf. Sat. 2. v. 61. O fouls, in whom no heav'nly fire is found, Mr. SPECTATOR, T DRYDEN. HE materials you have collected together towards a general History of Clubs, make so bright a part of your fpeculations, that I think it is but a justice we all owe the learned world to furnish you • with such affistances as may promote that useful work. • For this reason I could not forbear communicating to you some imperfect informations of a fet of men (if you • will allow them a place in that species of being) who ⚫ have lately erected themselves into a nocturnal frater nity under the title of The Mohock-Club, a name bor• rowed it feems from a fort of Canibals in India, who • subsist by plundering and devouring all the nations about • them. The president is stiled Emperor of the Mohocks; and his arms are a Turkish crefcent, which his imperial majesty bears at present in a very extraordinary manner engraven upon his forehead. Agreeable to their name, • the avowed design of their institution is mischief; and upon this foundation all their rules and orders are • framed. An outrageous ambition of doing all possible • hurt to their fellow-creatures, is the great cement of • their assembly, and the only qualification required in ⚫ the members. In order to exert this principle in its • full strength and perfection, they take care to drink ⚫ themselves to a pitch, that is, beyond the poffibility • of attending to any motions of reason or humanity; ⚫ then make a general fally, and attack all that are fo • unfortunate as to walk the streets through which they patrol. Some are knock'd down, others stabb'd, others cut and carbonado'd. To put the watch to a total rout, and mortify some of those inoffenfive militia, is • reckon'd 4 ، • reckon'd a Coup d'eclat. The particular talents by which these Misanthropes are diftinguished from one another, confist in the various kinds of barbarities which they execute upon their prisoners. Some are cele• brated for a happy dexterity in tipping the Lion upon them; which is performed by squeezing the nose flat to the face, and boring out the eyes with their fingers: Others are called the dancing-masters, and • teach their scholars to cut capers by running fwords ' thro' their legs; a new invention, whether originally 6 French I cannot tell: A third fort are the tumblers, • whose office it is to set women on their heads and ⚫ commit certain indecencies, or rather barbarities, on the limbs which they expose. But these I forbear to mention, because they cannot but be very shocking to the reader as well as the SPECTATOR. In this manner they carry on a war against mankind; and by ⚫ the standing maxims of their policy, are to enter into no alliances but one, and that is offenfive and defenfive with all bawdy-houses in general, of which they have declared themselves protectors and guarantees. ، ، I must own, fir, these are only broken incoherent memoirs of this wonderful fociety, but they are the best • I have been yet able to procure; for being but of late establishment, it is not ripe for a just history. And to • be ferious, the chief design of this trouble is to hinder ⚫ it from ever being fo. You have been pleas'd, out of a • concern for the good of your countrymen, to act under the character of SPECTATOR, not only the part of a • looker-on, but an overseer of their actions; and whenever fuch enormities as this infeft the town, we imme• diately fly to you for redress. I have reason to believe, ⚫ that some thoughtless youngsters, out of a false notion ⚫ of bravery, and an immoderate fondness to be diftinguish'd for fellows of fire, are insensibly hurry'd into this senseless scandalous project: Such will probably • stand corrected by your reproofs, especially if you in• form them that it is not courage for half a score fel• lows mad with wine and luft, to fet upon two or three • soberer than themselves; and that the manners of In• dian savages are no becoming accomplishments to an • English fine gentleman. Such of them as have been • bullies 'bullies and scowerers of a long standing, and are grown veterans in this kind of service, are, I fear, too hardned to receive any impressions from your admonitions. • But I beg you would recommend to their perusal 6 your ninth speculation: They may there be taught to ⚫ take warning from the club of Duelists; and be put in mind, that the common fate of those men of honour was to be hanged. March the 10th, 17 I am, SIR, Your most humble fervant, Philanthropos. The following letter is of a quite contrary nature; but I add it here, that the reader may observe at the same view, how amiable ignorance may be when it is shewn in its fimplicities, and how detestable in barbarities. It is written by an honest countryman to his mistress, and came to the hands of a lady of good sense wrapped about a thread-paper, who has long kept it by her as an image of artless love. To her I very much respect, Mrs. Margaret Clark. L I could write loving Mrs. Margaret Clark, I pray you let affection excuse 'prefumption. Having been so happy as to enjoy the light of your sweet countenance and comely body, ' sometimes when I had occasion to buy treacle or liquorish powder at the apothecaries shop, I am so ena' moured with you, that I can no more keep close my • flaming defire to become your servant. And I am the more bold now to write to your sweet self, because I • am now my own man, and may match where I please; ' for my father is taken away, and now I am come to ، my living which is ten yard land, and a house; and ⚫ there is never a yard land in our field but it is as well ' worth ten pounds a year, as a thief is worth a halter, ' and all my brothers and sisters are provided for : befides • I have good houthold-stuff, though I say it, both brass ' and pewter, linens and woollens; and though my house be thatch'd, yet, if you and I match, it shall go hard |