12.  Here is the D——­ and all to do with these Mohocks.  Grub Street papers about them fly like lightning, and a list printed of near eighty put into several prisons, and all a lie; and I begin almost to think there is no truth, or very little, in the whole story.  He that abused Davenant was a drunken gentleman; none of that gang.  My man tells me that one of the lodgers heard in a coffee-house, publicly, that one design of the Mohocks was upon me, if they could catch me; and though I believe nothing of it, I forbear walking late, and they have put me to the charge of some shillings already.  I dined to-day with Lord Treasurer and two gentlemen of the Highlands of Scotland, yet very polite men.  I sat there till nine, and then went to Lord Masham’s, where Lord Treasurer followed me, and we sat till twelve; and I came home in a chair for fear of the Mohocks, and I have given him warning of it too.  Little Harrison,[10] whom I sent to Holland, is now actually made Queen’s Secretary at The Hague.  It will be in the Gazette to-morrow.  ’Tis worth twelve hundred pounds a year.  Here is a young fellow has writ some Sea Eclogues, poems of Mermen, resembling pastorals of shepherds, and they are very pretty, and the thought is new.  Mermen are he-mermaids; Tritons, natives of the sea.  Do you understand me?  I think to recommend him to our Society to-morrow.  His name is Diaper.[11] P—­ on him, I must do something for him, and get him out of the way.  I hate to have any new wits rise, but when they do rise I would encourage them; but they tread on our heels and thrust us off the stage.  Nite deelest MD.

13.  You would laugh to see our printer constantly attending our Society after dinner, and bringing us whatever new thing he has printed, which he seldom fails to do.  Yet he had nothing to-day.  Lord Lansdowne, one of our Society, was offended at a passage in this day’s Examiner, which he thinks reflects on him, as I believe it does, though in a mighty civil way.  ’Tis only that his underlings cheat; but that he is a very fine gentleman every way, etc.[12] Lord Orrery was President to-day; but both our dukes were absent.  Brother Wyndham recommended Diaper to the Society.  I believe we shall make a contribution among ourselves, which I don’t like.  Lord Treasurer has yet done nothing for us, but we shall try him soon.  The company parted early, but Freind, and Prior, and I, sat a while longer and reformed the State, and found fault with the Ministry.  Prior hates his Commission of the Customs, because it spoils his wit.  He says he dreams of nothing but cockets,[13] and dockets, and drawbacks, and other jargon words of the custom-house.  Our good weather went away yesterday, and the nights are now dark, and I came home before ten.  Night nown. . . deelest sollahs.