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rather the impatient fondness which is vifible in lovers, than the regular and gratified affection which is to be obferved in man and wife. This obfervation made the father very anxious for his fon, and prefs him to a match he had in his eye for him. To relieve my husband from this importunity, and conceal the fecret of our marriage, which I had reason to know would not be long in my power in town, it was refolved that I fhould retire into a remote place in the country, and converse under feigned names by letter. We long continued this way of commerce; and I with my needle, a few books, and reading over and over my husband's letters, paffed my time in a refigned expectation of better days. Be pleafed to take notice, that within four months after I left my husband I was delivered of a daughter, who died within a few hours after her birth. This accident, and the retired manner of life I led, gave criminal hopes to a neighbouring brute of a county gentleman, whofe folly was the fource of all my affliction. This ruftic is one of thofe rich clowns who fupply the want of all manner of breeding by the neglect of it, and with noify mirth, half understanding, and ample fortune, force themtelves upon perfons and things without any fenfe of time and place. The poor ignorant people where I lay concealed, and now paffed for a widow, wondered I could be fo thy and strange, as they called it, to the fquire; and were bribed by him to admit him whenever he thought fit. I happened to be fitting in a little parlour which belonged to my own part of the houfe, and mufing over one of the fondeft of my husband's letters, in which I always kept the certificate of my marriage, when this rude fellow came in, and with the naufeous familiarity of fuch unbred brutes, fnatch, ed the papers out of my hand. I was immediately under fo great a concern, that I threw myself at his feet, and begged of him to return them. He, with the fame odious pretence to freedom and gaiety, fwere he would read them. I grew more importunate, he more curious, till at laft, with an indignation ariing from a paffion I then firft difco

vered in him, he threw the papers into the fire, fwearing that fince he was not to read them, the man who writ them, fhould never be fo happy as to have me read them over again. It is infignificant to tell you my tears and reproaches made the boisterous calf leave the room afhamed and out of countenance, when I had leisure to ruminate on this accident with more than ordinary forrow: however, fuch then was my confidence in my husband, that I writ to him the misfortune, and defired another paper of the fame kind. He deferred writing two or three pofts, and at last anfwered me in general, that he could not then fend me what I asked for; but when he could find a proper conveyance, I fhould be fure to have it. From this time his letters were more cold every day than other, and as he grew indifferent I grew jealous. This has at latt brought me to town, where I find both the witneffes of my marriage dead, and that my hufband, after three months cohabitation, has buried a young lady whom he married in obedience to his father. In a word, he fhuns and difowns me. Should I come to the house and confront him, the father would join in fupporting him against me, though he believed my story; fhould I talk it to the world, what reparation can I expect for an injury I cannot make out? I believe he means to bring me, through neceffity, to refign my pretenfions to him for fome provifion for my life; but I will die firtt. Pray bid him remember what he faid, and how he was charmed when he laughed at the heedlefs difcovery I often made of myfif; let him remember how aukward I was in my diffembled indifference towards him before company; ask him how I, who could never conceal my love for him, at his own request can part with him for ever? Oh, Mr. Spectator, fenfible fpirits know no indifference in marriage; what then do you think is my piercing affliction!-I leave you to reprefent my diftrefs your own way, in which I defire you to be fpeedy, if you have compaffion for innocence expofed to infamy.

T

OCTAVIA.

N° CCCXXIII.

N° CCCXXIII. TUESDAY, MARCH 11.

MODO VIR, MODO FOEMINA-→→→→

SOMETIMES A MAN, SOMETIMES A WOMAN.

HE journal, with which I preTHE fented my reader on Tuesday laft, has brought me in feveral letters, with accounts of many private lives cait into that form. I have the Rake's Journal, the Sot's Journal, the Whoremafter's Journal, and among feveral others a very carious piece, entitled-The Journal of a Mohock. By these inftances I find that the intention of my laft Tuefday's paper has been mistaken by many of my readers. I did not defign to much to expofe vice as idlenefs, and aimed at thofe perfons who país away their time rather in trifle and impertinence, than in crimes and immoralities. Offences of this latter kind are not to be dallied with, or treated in fo ludicrous a man

ner.

In fhort, my journal only holds up folly to the light, and fhews the difagreeableness of fuch actions as are indifferent in themfelves, and blameable only as they proceed from creatures endowed with reafon.

My following correfpondent, who calls herself Clarinda, is fuch a journatift as I require: the feems by her letter to be placed in a modifh ftate of indifference between vice and virtue, and to be fufceptible of either, were there proper pains taken with her. Had her journal been filled with gallantries, or fuch occurrences as had fhewn her wholly divefted of her natural innocence, notwithstanding it might have been more pleafing to the generality of readers, I fhould not have publifhed it; but as it is only the picture of a life filled with a fashionable kind of gaiety and laziness, I shall fet down five days of it, as I have received it from the hand of my fair correfpondent.

DEAR MR. SPECTATOR,

YOU having fet your readers an exercife in one of your latt week's papers, I have performed mine according to your orders, and herewith fend it you inclofed. You must know, Mr. Spectator, that I am a maiden lady of a good fortune, who have had feveral

VIRG.

matches offered me for thefe ten years lalt pait, and have at prefent warm applications made to me by a very pretty fellow. As I am at my own disposal, I come up to town every winter, and pafs my time in it after the manner you will find in the following journal, which I began to write upon the very day after your Spectator upon that fubject.

TUESDAY night. Could not go to fleep till one in the morning for thinking of my journal.

WEDNESDAY. From eight till ten. Drank two difhes of chocolate in bed, and fell asleep after them.

From ten to eleven. Eat à flice of bread and butter, drank a difh of bohea, read the Spectator.

From eleven to one. At my toilette, tried a new head. Gave orders for Veny to be combed and wathed. Mem. I look beft in blue.

From one till half an hour after two. Drove to the Change. Cheapened a couple of fans.

Till four. At dinner. Mem. Mr. Froth paffed by in his new liveries.

From four to fix. Drefied, paid a vifit to old Lady Blithe and her fitter, having before heard they were gone out of town that day.

From fix to eleven. At Baflet. Mem. Never fet again upon the ace of diamonds.

THURSDAY. From eleven at night to eight in the morning. Dream'd that Ppunted to Mr. Froth.

From eight to ten. Chocolate. Read two acts in Aurengzebe a-bed.

From ten to eleven. Tea-table. Sent to borrow Lady Faddle's Cupid for Veny. Read the play bills. Received a letter from Mr. Froth. Mem. Lock. ed it up in my ftrong box.

Reft of the morning. Fontange, the the-woman, her account of my Lady Blithe's wath, Broke a tooth in my little tortoife-fhell comb. Sent Frank

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FRIDAY. Eight in the morning. A-bed. Read over all Mr. Froth's letters. Cupid and Veny.

Ten o'clock. Staid within all day, not at home.

From ten to twelve. In conference with my mantua-maker. Sorted a fuit of ribbons. Broke my blue china cup. From twelve to one. Shut myself up in my chamber, practifed Lady Betty Modely's fkuttle.

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, dreffed, went abroad, and played at crimp till midnight. Found Mrs. Spitely at home. Converfation: Mrs. Brilliant's necklace falfe ftones. Old Lady Loveday going to be married to a young fellow that is not worth a groat. Mifs Prue gone into the country. Tom Townley has red hair.

Mem. Mrs.

Spitely whispered in my ear that she 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.

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From twelve to two. At chapel. A great deal of good company. Mem. The third air in the new opera. Lady Blithe dreffed frightfully.

From three to four. Dined. Mifs Kitty called upon me to go to the opera before I was rifen 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 fecond act. Mr. Froth talked to a gentleman in a black wig. Bowed to a lady in the front box. Mr. Froth and his friend clapp'd Nicolini in the third act. Mr. Froth cried out Ancora. Mr. Froth led me to my chair. I think he fqueezed my hand.

Eleven at night. Went to bed. Melancholy dreams. Methought Nicolini faid he was Mr. Froth.

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Upon looking back into this my journal, I find that I am at a lofs to know whether I pafs my time well or ill; and indeed never thought of confidering how I did it before I perused your fpeculation upon that fubject. I fcarce find a fingle action in these five days that I can thoroughly approve of, except the working upon the violet-leaf, which I am refolved to finish the first day I am at leifure. As for Mr. Froth and Veny, I did not think they took up fo much of my time and thoughts as I find they do upon my journal. The latter of them I will turn off, if you infitt upon it; and if Mr. Froth does not bring matters to a conclufion very suddenly, I will not let my life run away in a dream. Your humble fervant, CLARINDA.

To refume one of the morals of my firft paper, and to confirm Clarinda in her good inclinations, I would have her confider what a pretty figure fhe would make

make among pofterity, were the history of her whole life published like these five days of it. I fhall conclude my paper with an epitaph written by an uncertain author on Sir Philip Sidney's fifter, a lady, who feems to have been of a temper very much different from that of Clarinda. The last thought of it is fo very noble, that I dare fay my reader will pardon me the quotation.

ON THE COUNTESS DOWAGER OF PEMBROKE.

UNderneath this marble hearse

Lies the fubject of all verse, Sidney's fifter, Pembroke's mother: Death, ere thou haft kill'd another, Fair and learn d, and good as the,

Time fhall throw a dart at thee.

CCCXXIV. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12.

O CURVE IN TERRIS ANIME, ET COELESTIUM INANES!

PERs. SÁT. II. v.61

O SOULS, IN WHOM NO HEAVENLY FIRE IS FOUND,
FAT MINDS, AND EVER GROV'LING ON THE GROUND!

MR. SPECTATOR,

HE materials you have collected

of Clubs, make fo bright a part of your fpeculations, that I think it is but a juftice we all owe the learned world to furnish you with such affiftance as may promote that useful work. For this reafon I could not forbear communicating to you fome imperfect informations of a set of men (if you will allow them a place in that fpecies of being) who have lately erected themselves into a nocturnal fraternity under the title of The Mohock Club, a name borrowed it feems from a fort of Canibals in India, who fubfift by plundering and devouring all the nations about them. The prefident is ftiled 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 defign of their inftitution is mischief; and upon this foundation all their rules and orders are framed. An outrageous ambition of doing all poffible hurt to their fellowcreatures, is the great cement of their affembly, and the only qualification required in the members. In order to exert this principle in it's full ftrength and perfection, they take care to drink themselves to a pitch, that is, beyond the poffibility of attending to any motions of reafon or humanity; then make a general fally, and attack all that are fo unfortunate as to walk the streets

DRYDEN.

L

through which they patrole. Some are knocked down, others ftabbed, others

to a total rout, and mortify fome of thofe inoffenfive militia, is reckoned a Coup d'eclat. The particular talents by which thefe Mifanthropes are diftinguifhed from one another confift in the various kinds of barbarities which they execute upon their prifoners. Some are celebrated for a happy dexterity in tipping the Lion upon them; which is performed by fqueezing the nose flat to the face, and boring out the eyes with their fingers: others are called the dancingmafters, and teach their scholars to cut capers by running fwords through their legs; a new invention, whether originally French I cannot tell a third fort are the tumblers, whofe office it is to fet women on their heads and commit certain indecencies, or rather barbarities, on the limbs which they expofe. But thefe 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 ftanding maxims of their policy, are to enter into no alliances but one, and that is offenfive and defenfive with all bawdy-houfes in general, of which they have declared themfelves protectors and guarantees.

I must own, Sir, thefe are only broken incoherent memoirs of this wonderful fociety, but they are the beft I have been yet able to procure; for being but of late established, it is not ripe for a

just

654

just history.

And to be ferious, the
chief defign of this trouble is to hinder
it from ever being fo. You have been
pleafed, out of a concern for the good of
your countrymen, to act under the cha-
racter of Spectator, not only the part of
a looker-on, but an overfeer of their
actions; and whenever fuch enormities
as this infeft the town, we immediately
fly to you for redrefs. I have realon
to believe that fome thoughtless young-
fters, out of a falfe notion of bravery,

and an immoderate fondness to be di-
ftinguifhed for feilows of fire, are in-
fenfibly hurried into this fenfelefs fcan-
delous project : fuch will probably ftand
corrected by your reproofs, especially if
you inform them that it is not courage
for half a fcore fellows, mad with wine
an luft, to fet upon two or three foberer
than themfelves; and that the manners
of Indian favages are no becoming ac-
complishments to an English fine gen-
tleman. Such of them as have been
ballies and fcowerers of à long ftand-
ing, and are grown veterans in this
kind of fervice, are, I fear, too hard-
eaed to receive any impreffions from
But I beg you
your admonitions.
would recommend to their perufal your
ninth fpeculation: they may there be
taught to take warning from the club
of Duellifts; and be put in mind, that

the common fate of thofe men of honour
I am, Sir, your
was to be hanged.
moit humble fervant,

MARCH THE 10th,
1712.

PHILANTHROPOS.

The following letter is of a quite contrary nature; but I add it here, that the reader may obferve at the fame view, how amiable ignorance may be when it is fhewn in it's fimplicities, and how

deteftable in barbarities. It is written
by an honest countryman to his mistress,
and came to the hands of a lady of good
fenfe wrapped about a thread-paper,
who has long kept it by her as an image
of artlets love.

TO HER I VERY MUCH RESPECT,
MRS. MARGARET CLARK,

loving Mrs. Margaret Clark, I pray LOVELY, and oh that I could write you let affection excufe prefumption. Having been fo happy as to enjoy the fight of your fweet countenance and occation to buy treacle or liquorifh powcomely body, fometimes when I had der at the apothecaries fhop, I am so enamoured with you, that I can no more keep clofe my flaming defire to become your fervant. And I am the more bold Dow to write to your fweet felf, because match I am now my own man, and may where I pleafe; for my father is taken which is ten yard land, and a house; away, and now I am come to my living, and there is never a yard of land in our field but it is as well worth ten pounds a year, as a thief is worth a halter, and for: befides I have good houthold-stuff, all my brothers and fitters are provided linens and woollens; and though my though I fay it, both brafs and pewter, house be thatched, yet, if you and I match, it shall go hard but I will have think well you one half of it flated. If of this motion, I will wait upon you as foon as my new cloaths is made and hay-harvet is in. I could, though I fay it, have good. The rett is torn off; and pofterity must be contented to know, that Mrs. Margaret Clark was very pretty, but are left in the dark as to the name of her lover.

T

N° CCCXXV,

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