philomath, that annually bestows his poetical good wishes on them, I am fure there is one Ifaac Bickerstaff, efq; would foon be truffed up for his bloody predictions, and putting good fubjects in terror of their lives and that henceforward to murder a man by way of prophecy, and bury him in a printed letter, either to a lord or commoner, fhall as legally entitle him to the prefent poffeffion of Tyburn, as if he robbed on the highway, or cut your throat in bed. I shall demonftrate to the judicious, that France and Rome are at the bottom of this horrid confpiracy against me; and that Culprit aforefaid is a popifh emiffary, has paid his vifits to St. Germains, and is now in the meafures of Lewis XIV. That in attempting my reputation, there is a general maffacre of learning defigned in these realms; and through my fides there is a wound given to all the proteftant almanack-makers in the universe. A VINDICATION OF Ifaac Bickerstaff, Efq; AGAINST What is objected to him by Mr. Partridge in his almanack for the prefent year 1709. By the faid ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, Efq; MR. Partridge hath been lately pleafed to treat me after a very rough manner, in that which is called, his almanack for the present year: fuch ufage is very undecent from one gentleman to another, and doth not at all contribute to the discovery of truth, which ought to be the great end in all difputes of the learned. To call a man fool and villain, and impudent fellow, only for differing from him in a point meerly fpeculative, is, in my humble opinion, a very improper ftyle for a perfon of his education. I appeal to the learned world, whether in my last year's predictions I gave him the leaft provocation for fuch unworthy treatment. Philofophers have differed in all ages; but the discreetest among them have always differed as became philofophers. Scurrility and passion, in a controversy among fcholars, is just so much of nothing to the purpose, and at beft, a tacit confeffion of a weak cause: my concern is not fo much for my own reputation, as that of the republick of letters, which Mr. Partridge hath endeavoured to wound through my fides. If men of publick spirit must be fuperciliously treated for their ingenious attempts, how will true ufeful knowledge be ever advanced? I wish Mr. Partridge knew the thoughts, which foreign univerfities have conceived of his ungenerous proceedings with me; but I am too tender of his reputation to publish them to the world. That fpirit of envy and pride, which blafts fo many rifing genius's in our nation, is yet unknown among profeffors abroad: the neceffity of justifying myfelf will excuse my vanity, when I tell the reader, that I have near a hundred honorary letters from several parts of Europe (fome as far as Muscovy) in praise of my performance. Bcfides feveral others, which, as I have been credibly informed, were opened in the postoffice, and never fent me. It is true the inquifition in Portugal was + pleased to burn my predictions, and condemn the author and readers of them; but I hope at the fame time, it will be confidered, in how deplorable a ftate learning lics at prefent in that kingdom; and with the profoundeft veneration for crowned heads, I will prefume to add, that it a little concerned his majefly of Portugal to interpofe his authority in behalf of a scholar and a gentleman, the fubject of a nation, with which he is now in fo ftrict an alliance, But the other kingdoms and ftates of Europe have treated me with more candor and generofity. If I had leave to print the Latin letters tranfmitted to me from foreign parts, they would fill a volume, and be a full defence against all that Mr. Partridge, or his accomplices of the Portugal inquifition, will be ever able to object; who, by the way, are the only ene + This is fact, as the author was affured by Sir Paul Methuen, then ambaffador to that crown, mies my predictions have ever met with at home or abroad. But I hope, I know better what is due to the honour of a learned correfpondence in fo tender a point. Yet fome of thofe illuftrious perfons will perhaps excufe me for tranfcribing a paffage or two in my vindication. The moft learned monfieur Leibnits thus addreffes to me his third letter illuftriffimo Bickerstaffio aftrologia inftauratori, &c. Monfieur le Clerc, quoting my predictions in a treatife he published last year, is pleafed to fay, ita nuperrimè Bickerflaffius magnum illud Anglia fidus. Another great profeffor writing of me, has thefe words: Bickerfaffius, nobilis Anglus, afrologorum hujufce fæculi facile princeps. Signior Magliabecchi, the great duke's famous libraty-keeper, fpends almoft his whole letter in compliments and praifes. It is true, the tenowned profeffor of aftronomy at Utrecht feems to differ from me in one article ; but it is after the modeft manner, that becomes a philofopher; as, pace tanti vi The quotations here inferted are in imitation of Dr. Beatley, in fome part of the famous controverfy between him and Mr. Boyle |