No. 323. THURSDAY, From Eleven at Night to Eight in the Tuesday, Morning. Dream'd that I punted to Mr. Froth. March 11, 1712. From Eight to Ten. From Ten to Eleven. Chocolate, Read two Acts in Tea-Table, Lady Faddle's Cupid for Veny. Rest of the Morning. Sent to borrow Read the Play-Bills. Fontange, the Tire-woman, her Account of my Lady Blithe's Wash. Broke a Tooth down, Looked pale, her Monkey's From Four to Eleven. Saw Company, Mr. Froth's FRIDAY. Eight in the Morning. Abed. Read over all Mr. Froth's Letters, Cupid and Veny. Ten a Clock Stay'd within all Day, not at home, From Ten to Twelve. In Conference with my Mantua-Maker. Sorted a Suit of Ribbands, Broke my blue China Cup, From Twelve to One. Shut my self up in my Chamber, practised Lady Betty Modely's Skuttle, One in the Afternoon. Called for my flower'd Handkercheif, 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 Aurenzebe. From Three to Four, Dined, From Four to Twelve. Changed my Mind, dressed, went abroad, and play'd 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 Townly has No. 323. red Hair, Mem. Mrs. Spitely whispered in my Ear Tuesday, that she had something to tell me about Mr. Froth, March 11, I am sure it is not true. Between Twelve and One. Dreamed that Mr. Froth lay at my Feet, and called me Indamora. SATURDAY. Rose at Eight a 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 Eye-brow. From Nine to Twelve. Drank my Tea, and dressed. From Twelve to Two. At Chappel. 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 the Table. From Dinner to Six. Drank Tea, Turned off a Footman for being rude to Veny, Six a Clock. Went to the Opera, I did not see 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 clapt Nicolini in the third Act, Mr. Froth cried out Ancora. Mr. Froth led me to my Chair, I think he squeezed my Hand. Eleven at Night. Went to Bed. Melancholly Dreams. Methought Nicolini said he was Mr. Froth. SUNDAY, Indisposed. MONDAY. Eight a Clock. Clock. Waked by Miss Kitty, Aurenzebe lay upon the Chair by me, Kitty repeated without Book the eight best Lines in the Play, Went in our Mobbs to the dumb Man, according to Appoint ment. Told me that my Lover's Name began with a G. Mem, the Conjurer 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 of 1712, No. 323. or ill; and indeed never thought of considering how I Tuesday, did it, before I perused your Speculation upon that Sub March 11, ject. I scarce find a single Action in these five Days 1712. that I can thoroughly approve of, except the Working upon the Violet Leaf, which I am resolved to finish 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 Journal. The latter of them I will turn off if you insist upon it; and if Mr. Froth does not bring Matters to a Conclusion very suddenly, I will not let my Life run away in a Dream, Your humble Servant, Clarinda,' To resume one of the Morals of my first Paper, and to confirm Clarinda in her good Inclinations, I would have her consider what a pretty Figure she would make among Posterity, were the History of her whole Life published like these five Days of it. I shall con clude my Paper with an Epitaph written by an uncertain Author on Sir Philip Sidney's Sister, 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, On the Countess Dowager of Pembroke. No. 324, [STEELE.] Underneath this Marble Hearse L Wednesday, March 12. O curvae in terris animae & coelestium inanes.—Pers, 'Mr. SPECTATOR, HE Materials you have collected together towards a general History of Clubs, make so bright a Part of your Speculations, that I think it is but a Justice we we all owe the learned World to furnish you with such No. 324. Assistances as may promote that useful Work For Wednes this Reason I could not forbear communicating to you March 12, day, some imperfect Informations of a Set of Men (if you will 1712. allow them a Place in that Species of Being) who have lately erected themselves into a Nocturnal Fraternity, under the Title of The Mohock Club, a Name borrowed it seems from a Sort of Cannibals 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 Crescent, 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 outragious 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 Possibility of attending to any Motions of Reason or Humanity'; then make a general Sally, and attack all that are so unfortunate as to walk the Streets through which they patroll. 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 inoffensive Militia, is reckon'd a Coup d'eclat. The particular Talents by which these Misanthropes are distinguished from one another, con sist in the various Kinds of Barbarities which they execute upon their Prisoners. Some are celebrated for a happy Dexterity in Tipping the Lion upon them; which is perform'd 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 Swords thro' their Legs; a new Invention, whether originally French I cannot tell: A third Sort are the Tumblers, whose Office it is to set Women upon their Heads, and commít certain Indecencies, or rather Barbarities, on the Limbs which they expose. But these I forbear to mention No. 324. mention, because they can't but be very shocking to the 1712. Maxims of their Policy, are to enter into no Alliances but one, and that is Offensive and Defensive with all Bawdy-Houses in general, of which they have declared themselves Protectors and Guarantees, I must own, Sir, these are only broken incoherent Memoirs of this wonderful Society, 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 serious, the chief Design of this Trouble is to hinder it from ever being so. 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 such Enormities as this infest the Town, we immediately 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 distinguished for Fellows of Fire, are insensibly hurry'd into this senseless scandalous Project: Such will probably stand corrected by your Reproofs, especially if you inform them, that it is not Courage for half a Score Fellows, mad with Wine and Lust, to set upon two or three soberer than themselves; and that the Manners of Indian Savages are no becoming Accomplishments to an English fine Gentleman. Such of them as have been Bullies and Scowrers 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 your ninth Speculation: They may there be taught to take Warning from the Club of Duellists; and be put in Mind, that the common Fate of those Men of Honour was to be hang'd, March the 10th, I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, The |