never believe any thing of the stars influence, if there were not a great revolution in England in the year 1688. Since that time I began to have other thoughts, and, after eighteen years diligent ftudy and application, I think I have no reafon to repent of my pains. I fhall detain the reader no longer, than to let him know that the account I defign to give of next year's events, fhall take in the principal affairs that happen in Europe; and, if I be denied the liberty of offering it to my own country, I fhall appeal to the learned world, by publishing it in Latin, and giving order to have it printed in Holland.

THE

THE

ACCOMPLISHMENT

Of the First of

Mr. Bickerstaff's Predictions;

BEING AN

ACCOUNT

Of the Death of

Mr. Partridge, the ALMANACK-MAKER,

Upon the 29th Inftant.

In a Letter to a Perfon of Honour.

Written in the Year 1708.

MY LORD,

IN

N obedience to your lordship's commands, as well as to fatisfy my own curiofity, I have fome days paft inquired constantly after Partridge the almanack-maker, of whom it was foretold in Mr. Bickerstaff's predictions, published about a month ago, that he should die the 29th inftant about eleven at night of a raging fever. I had fome fort of knowledge of him, when I was employed in the revenue, because he used every year to pre

fent

fent me with his almanack, as he did other gentlemen, upon the score of fome little gratuity we gave him. I faw him accidentally once or twice about ten days before he died, and obferved he began very much too droop and languish, though, I hear, his friends did not seem to apprehend him in any danger. About two or three days ago he grew ill, was confined first to his chamber, and in a few hours after to his bed, where * Dr. Cafe and Mrs. Kirleus were fent for to vifit, and to prefcribe to him. Upon this intelligence I fent thrice every day one fervant or other to inquire after his health; and, yesterday about four in the afternoon, word was brought me, that he was paft hopes: upon which I prevailed with myfelf to go and fee him, partly out of commiferation, and, I confefs, partly out of curiofity. He knew me very well, feemed furprised at my condefcenfion, and made me compliments upon it, as well as he could in the condition he was. The people about him faid, he had been for fome time delirious; but, when I faw him, he had his understanding as well as ever I knew, and spoke strong and hearty, without any feeming uneafinefs or constraint. After I had told him how forry I was to fee him in those melancholy circumftances, and faid fome other civilities, fuitable to the occafion, I defired him to tell me freely and ingenuously whether the predictions Mr. Bickerflaff had pub

lifhed

lifhed relating to his death, had not too much affected and worked on his imagination. He confeffed, he had often had it in his head, but never with much apprehenfion, till about a fortnight before; fince which time it had the perpetual poffeffion of his mind and thoughts, and he did verily believe was the true natural caufe of his prefent diftemper: for, faid he, I am thoroughly perfuaded, and I think I have very good reasons, that Mr. Bickerfaff spoke altogether by guefs, and knew no more what will happen this year, than I did myself. I told him his discourte furprised me; and I would be glad, he were in a state of health to be able to tell me, what reafon he had to be convinced of Mr. Bickerfaff's ignorance. He replied, I am a poor ignorant fellow, bred to a mean trade, yet I have fenfe enough to know, that all pretences of foretelling by aftrology are deceits, for this manifeft reafon, because the wife and learned, who can only judge whether there be any truth in this fcience, do all unanimously agree to laugh and defpife it; and none but the poor ignorant vulgar give it any credit, and that only upon the word of fuch poor filly wretches as I and my fellows, who can hardly write or read. I then asked him, why he had not calculated his own nativity, to fee whether it agreed with Mr. Bickerfaff's prediction? at which he fhook his head, and faid, oh! fir, this is no time for jefting, but for repenting those fooleries, as I do now from the very bottom of my heart. By what I can gather

gather from you, faid I, the obfervations and predictions you printed with your almanacks, were mere impofitions on the people. He replied, if it were otherwife, I should have the lefs to answer for. We have a common form for all thofe things; as to foretelling the wea ther, 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 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 phyfic than by my aftrology; though I had fome good receipts from my grandmo ther, and my own compofitions were fuch, as I thought could at least 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 fhall only add one circumftance, that on his death-bed he declared himself a nonconformist, and had a fanatic preacher to be his fpiritual guide. After half on hour's converfation I took my leave, being almoft ftifled by the clofeness of the room. I imagined he could not hold out long, and therefore withdrew to a little coffee-houfe hard by, leaving a fervant in the houfe with orders to come immediately, and tell me, as near as he could, the minute 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