Fooleries, as I do now from the very Bottom of my Heart. By what I can gather from you, faid I, the Obfervations and Predictions you printed with your Almanacks were meer Impofitions upon the People. He reply'd, If it were otherwise I should have the lefs to answer for. We have a Common Form for all those Things; as to foretelling the Weather, we never meddle 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 Sell, having a Wife to Maintain, and no other way to get my Bread, for mending Old Shoes is a Poor Livelihood: And ( added he, fighing,) I wish I may not have done more Mischief by my Phyfick than my Aftrology, tho' I had fome good Receits from my Grandmother, and my own Compofitions were fuch as I thought could at leaft do no Hurt.

I had fome other Difcourfes with him, which now, I cannot call to mind; and I fear I have already tired

your

your Lordship. I fhall only add One Circumstance, that on his Deathbed he declar'd himfelf a Noncon÷ formist, and had a Fanatick Preacher to be his Spiritual Guide. After Half an Hour's Conversation I took my Leave, being half.ftifled by the Clofe nefs of the Room. I imagined he could not hold out long, and therefore withdrew to a little Coffee-house hard by, leaving a Servant at the House with orders to come immediately, and tell me as near as he could the Minute when Partrige fhould expire, which was not above Two Hours after; when looking upon my Watch, I found it to be above Five Minutes after Seven; 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 has not been the Caufe of this Poor Man's Death, as well as the Predictor, may be very reasonably disputed.

How.

ever, it must be confefs'd the Matter is odd enough, whether we should endeavour to account for it by Chance, or the Effect of Imagination: For

my

my own Part, tho' I believe no Man has less Faith in these matters, yet I fhall wait with fome Impatience, and not without Expectation, the fulfilling of Mr. Bickerstaff's Second Prediction, That the Cardinal De Noailles is to die upon the 4th of April; and if that fhould be verified as exactly as this of Poor Partrige, I muft own I should be wholly furprized, and at a lofs, and should infallibly expect the Accomplishment of all the reft.

FINIS.

U

A

VINDICATION

O F

Ifaac Bickerstaff Efq;

AGAINST

What is Objected to Him by Mr. Partrige, in his Almanack for the prefent Year, 1709.

By the faid ISAAC BICKERSTAFF Esq;

Written in the Year 1709.

M

R. Partrige hath been lately pleased to treat me after a very rough Manner in that

which is called, His Almanack for the prefent Year: Such Ufage is very undecent from one Gentleman to another, and does not at all contribute to the Difco

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