gave criminal Hopes to a neighbouring Brute of a Country Gentleman, whofe Folly was the Source of all my Affliction. This Ruftick is one of those 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 themselves upon • Perfons and Things without any Senfe of Time and Place. The poor ignorant People where I lay conceal'd, and now paffed for a Widow, wondered I could be fo fhy and strange, as they called it, to the Squire ; 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 nauseous Familiarity of fuch unbred Brutes, fnatched the Papers out of my Hand. I was immediately under fo great a Concern, that I threw my self at his Feet, and beg6 ged of him to return them. He with the fame odious • Pretence to Freedom and Gaiety, fwore he would 'read them. I grew more importunate, he more curious, till at last, with an Indignation arifing from a Paffion I then firft difcovered in him, he threw the Papers into the Fire, fwearing that fince he was not 6 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 leifure to ruminate on ⚫ this Accident with more than ordinary Sorrow: How

6

ever, fuch was then 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 answered me in general, That • he could not then fend me what I asked for, but ⚫ when he could find a proper Conveyance, I should 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 laft brought me to 6 Town, where I find both the Witneffes of my Marriage dead, and that my Husband, after three Months Coha⚫bitation,

A 5

6

bitation, has buried a young Lady whom he married in Obedience to his Father. In a word, he fhuns and 6 difowns me. Should I come to the House and confront him, the Father would join in supporting 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 first. Pray bid him remember what he faid, and how he was charmed when he laughed at the heedless Discovery I ⚫ often made of my felf; 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 Spirits 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 speedy, if you have Compaffion for Innocence expofed to Infamy.

T

Octavia.

N° 323.

Tuesday, March 11.

Modò Vir, modò Fœmina

Virg.

HE Journal with which I prefented my Reader on

T Tuesday laft, has brought me in several Letters,

with Accounts of many private Lives caft into that Form. I have the Rake's Journal, the Sot's Journal, the Whoremafer's Journal, and among feveral others a very curious Piece, entitled, The Journal of a Mohock. By thefe Instances I find that the Intention of my last Tuesday's Paper has been mistaken by many of my Rea

ders. I did not defign fo much to expofe Vice as Idlenefs, and aimed at thofe Perfons who pafs away their Time rather in Trifle and Impertinence, than in Crimes and Immoralities. Offences of this latter kind are not

to

II to be dallied with, or treated in fo ludicrous a manner. In fhort, my Journal only holds up Folly to the Light, and fhews the Difagreeablenefs of fuch Actions as are indifferent in themselves, and blameable only as they proceed from Creatures endow'd with Reason.

MY following Correfpondent, who calls herself Clarinda, is fuch a Journalist as I require: She feems by her Letter to be placed in a modifh State 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 published 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 Correspondent.

Dear Mr. SPECTATOR,

YOU OU having fet your Readers an Exercise in one of your last Week's Papers, I have performed mine according to your Orders, and herewith send it you inclofed. You must know, Mr. SPECTATOR, that I am a Maiden Lady of a good Fortune, who have had ⚫ feveral Matches offered me for these ten Years last past, ⚫ and have at prefent warm Applications made to me by a very pretty Fellow. As I am at my own Difpofal, 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 Subject.

TUESDAY Night. Could not go to fleep till one in the Morning for thinking of my Journal.

WEDNESDAY. From Eight 'till Ten, Drank two Dishes of Chocolate in Bed, and fell asleep after them. From Ten to Eleven. Eat a Slice of Bread and Butter, drank a Difh of Bohea, read the Spectator.

From Eleven to One. At my Toilette, try'd a new Head. Gave Orders for Veny to be combed and washed. Mem. I look best in Blue.

From

From One 'till Half an Hour after Two. Drove to the Change. Cheapned a Couple of Fans.

Till Four. At Dinner. Mem. Mr. Froth paffed by in his new Liveries.

From Four to Six. Dreffed, paid a Vifit to old Lady Blithe and her Sifter, having before heard they were gone out of Town that Day.

From Six to Eleven. At Baffet. Mem. Never fet again upon the Ace of Diamonds.

THURSDAY. From Eleven at Night to Eight in the Morning. Dream'd that I punted to Mr. Froth.

From Eight to Ten. Chocolate. Read two Acts in Aurengzebe abed.

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. locked it up in my ftrong Box.

Reft of the Morning. Fontange, the Tire-woman, her Account of my Lady Blithe's Wash. Broke a Tooth in my little Tortoife-fhell Comb. Sent Frank to know how my Lady Hectick rested after her Monky's leaping out at Window. Looked pale. Fontange tells me my Glafs is not true. Dreffed by Three.

From Three to Four. Dinner cold before I fat down.

From Four to Eleven. Saw Company. Mr. Froth's Opinion of Milton. His Account of the Mobocks. His Fancy of a Pin-cushion. Picture in the Lid of his Snuffbox. Old Lady Faddle promifes me her Woman to cut my Hair. Loft five Guineas at Crimp.

Twelve o Clock at Night. Went to Bed.

FRIDAY. Eight in the Morning. Abed. Read over all Mr. Froth's Letters. Cupid and Veny.

Ten o' Clock. Stay'd within all Day, not at home. From Ten to Twelve. In Conference with my MantuaMaker. Sorted a Suit of Ribbands. Broke my blue China Cup.

From Twelve to One. Shut my felf up in my Chamber, practifed Lady Betty Modely's Skuttle.

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

From Three to Four. Dined.

From Four to Twelve. Changed my Mind, dreffed, went abroad, and play'd at Crimp till Midnight. Found Mrs. Spitely at home. Converfation: Mrs. Brilliant's Necklace falfe Stones. 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 sure it is not true.

Between Twelve and One.

Dreamed that Mr. Froth lay at my Feet, and called me Indamora.

SATURDAY. Rofe 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 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 Six. 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 clap'd Nicolini in the third A&t. 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.

SUNDAY. Indifpofed.

MONDAY. Eight Clock. Waked by Mifs Kitty. Aurengzebe lay upon the Chair by me. Kitty repeated without Book the Eight beft 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