with that, but leave it to the printer, who takes it out of any old almanack, as he thinks fit; the reft was my own invention to make my almanack fell, having a wife to maintain, and no other way to get my bread; for mending old fhoes is a poor livelihood; and (added he, fighing) I wish I may not have done more mischief by my phyfick than my aftrology; though I had fome good receipts from my grandmother, and my own compofitions were fuch, as I thought could at leaft do no hurt.

I had fome other difcourfe with him, which now I cannot call to mind; and I fear I have already tired your lordship. I thall only add one circumftance, that on his death-bed he declared himfelf a nonconformift, and had a fanatick preacher to be his fpiritual guide. After half an hour's converfation I took my leave, being almoft ftifled by the clofenefs of the room. I imagined he could not hold out long, and therefore withdrew to a little coffee-house hard by, leaving a fervant at the house with orders to come immediately, and tell me, as near as he could, the mi

nute

.

nute when Partridge fhould expire, which was not above two hours after; when, looking upon my watch, I found it to be above five minutes after feven; by which it is clear that Mr. Bickerstaff was mistaken almoft four hours in his calculation. In the other circumftances he was exact enough. But whether he hath not been the caufe of this poor man's death, as well as the predictor, may be very reasonably dif puted. However, it must be confeffed, the matter is odd enough, whether we should endeavour to account for it by chance, or the effect of imagination: for my own part, though I believe no man hath lefs faith in thefe matters, yet I fhall wait with fome impatience, and not without fome expectation, the fulfilling of Mr. Bickerstaff's fecond prediction, that the cardinal de Noailles is to die upon the fourth of April, and if that should be verified as exactly as this of poor Partridge, I must own fhould be wholly furprized, and at a lofs, and fhould infallibly expect the accomplishment of all the reft.

This piece being on the fame subject, and very rare, we have thought fit to add it, though not written by the fame hand.

N.B. In the Dublin edition it is faid to be written by the late N. Rowe, Efq; which is a mistake for the reverend Dr. Yalden, preacher of Bridewell, Mr. Partridge's near neighbour, drew it up for him.

'Squire BICKERSTAFF Detected;

OR, THE

Aftrological IMPOSTOR Convicted:

BY

JOHN PARTRIDGE,

IT

Student in Phyfick and Aftrology.

T is hard, my dear countrymen of these united nations, it is very hard, that a Briton born, a proteftant aftrologer, a man of revolution principles, an affertor of the liberty and property of the people, should cry out in vain for justice against a Frenchman, a papist, and an illiterate pretender to science, that would blaft my reputation, moft inhumanly bury me alive, and defraud my native country of

thofe

those services, which, in my double city, I daily offer the publick.

сара

What great provocations I have received, let the impartial reader judge, and how unwillingly, even in my own defence, I now enter the lifts against falsehood, ignorance and envy: but I am exafperated, at length, to drag out this Cacus + from the den of obfcurity where he lurks, detect him by the light of those ftars he has fo impudently traduced, and fhew there is not a monfter in the skies fo pernicious and malevolent to mankind, as an ignorant pretender to phyfick and aftrology. I fhall not directly fall on the many grofs errors, nor expofe the notorious abfurdities of this prostituted libeller, till I have let the learned world fairly into the controverfy depending, and then leave the unprejudiced to judge of the merits and justice of my cause.

It was towards the conclufion of the year 1707, when an impudent pamphlet crept into the world, intituled, predictiens, etc. by Ifaac Bickerftaff, efq;---A

† A thief feized in a cavern by Hercules.

mongst the many arrogant affertions laid down by that lying fpirit of divination, he was pleased to pitch on the cardinal de Noailles and myfelf, among many other eminent and illuftrious perfons, that were to die within the compass of the ensuing year; and peremptorily fixes the month, day, and hour of our deaths; this, I think, is sporting with great men, and publick fpirits, to the scandal of religion, and reproach of power; and if fovereign princes and aftrologers must make diverfion for the vulgar why then farewel, say I, to all governments, ecclefiaftical and civil. But, I thank my better ftars, I am alive to confront this falfe and audacious predictor, and to make him rue the hour he ever affronted a man of science and refentment. The cardinal may take what measures he pleases with him; as his excellency is a foreigner, and a papist, he has no reason to rely on me for his juftification; I fhall only affure the world he is alive but as he was bred to letters, and is master of a pen, let him use it in his own defence. In the mean time I shall present the publick with a faithful narrative