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 considering how I did it before I perused your Speculation upon that Subject.  I scarce find a single Action in these five Days 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 conclude my Paper with an Epitaph written by an uncertain Author [5] 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. 
  Underneath this Marble Hearse
  Lies the Subject of all Verse,
  Sidney’s Sister, Pembroke’s Mother: 
  Death, ere thou hast kill’d another,
  Fair, and learn’d, and good as she,
  Time shall throw a Dart at thee.

[Footnote 1:  A quotation from memory of Virgil’s Et juvenis quondam nunc foemina.  AEn. vi. 448.]

[Footnote 2:  Dryden’s.]

[Footnote 3:  The heroine of Aurengzebe.]

[Footnote 4:  Duncan Campbell, said to be deaf and dumb, and to tell fortunes by second sight.  In 1732 there appeared Secret Memoirs of the late Mr. D. Campbell.... written by himself... with an Appendix by way of vindicating Mr. C. against the groundless aspersion cast upon him, that he but pretended to be deaf and dumb.]

[Footnote 5:  Ben Jonson.]

* * * * *

No. 324.  Wednesday, March 12, 1712.  Steele.

  [O curvae in terris animae, et coelestium inanes.

  Pers [1].]

  Mr. SPECTATOR,

The 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 all owe the learned World to furnish you with such Assistances as may promote that useful Work.  For this Reason I could not forbear communicating to you some imperfect Informations of a Set of Men (if you will 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