tifements; though I produce certificates under the minifters and church-wardens hands I am alive, and attest the fame on oath at quarterfeffions, out comes a full and true relation of the death and interment of John Partridge; truth is bore down, atteftations neglected, the teftimony of fober perfons defpifed, and a man is looked upon by his neighbours as if he had been feven years dead, and is buried a-live in the midt of his friends and acquaint

ance.

Now can any man of common fenfe think it confiftent with the honour of my profeffion, and not much beneath the dignity of a philofopher, to ftand bawling before his own door?

alive! alive ho! the famous Dr. Partridge! no counterfeit, but all alive!-as if I had the twelve celeftial monsters of the zodiac to fhew within, or was forced for a livelihood to turn retailer to May and Bartholomew fairs. Therefore, if her majefty would but graciously be pleafed to think a hardship of this nature worthy her royal confideration, and the next parliament, in their great wisdom, caft but an eye towards the deplorable cafe of their old philomath, that annually beftows his poetical good wishes on them, I am fure there is one Ifaac Bickerftaff, 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 printed letters, either to a lord or commoner, shall as legally intitle him to the prefent poffeflion of Tyburn,

0 6

as

as if he robbed on the highway, or cut your throat in bed.

I fhall 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 thro' my fides there is a wound given to all the proteftant almanac-makers in the univerfe..

Vivat Regina.

A VIN

A

VINDICATION

OF

ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, Efq;

AGAINST

What is objected to him by Mr. Partridge in his almanac for the prefent year 1709.

By the faid ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, Efq;

Written in the Year 1709.

MR. Partridge hath been lately pleased to me after a very rough manner,

in that which is called, his almanac for the prefent year: fuch ufage is very undecent from one gentleman to another, and doth not at all contribute to the difcovery 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 differ ing from him in a point merely speculative, 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

among them have always differed as became philofophers. Scurrility and paffion, in a controverly among fcholars, is just fo much of nothing to the purpose, and, at best, a tacit confeffion of a weak caufe my concern is not fo much for my own reputation, as that of the republic of letters, which Mr. Partridge hath endeavoured to wound through my fides. If men of public fpirit must be fuperciliously treated for their ingenious attempts, how will true ufeful knowledge be ever advanced? I with 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 juftifying myself will excufe 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 praife of my performance. Besides feveral others, which, as I have been credibly informed, were opened in the post-office, 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 confia dered, in how deplorable a ftate learning lies at prefent in that kingdom: and, with the profoundest

*

This is fact, as the author was affured by Sir Paul Methuen, then ambaffador to that crown.

foundest veneration for crowned beads, I will prefume to add, that it a little concerned bis majefly of Portugal to interpose 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 candour 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 enemies 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 correspondence 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 afrologia inftauratori, &c. Monfieur le Clerc, quoting my predictions in a treatife he publifhed laft year, is pleafed to fay, ita nuperrime Bickerfaffus magnum illud Angliæ fidus. Another great profeffor, writing of me, has thefe words: Bickerstaffius, nobilis Anglus Aftrologorum hujufce feculi facile princeps. Signior Magliabecchi, the great duke's famous librarykeeper,

The quotations here inferted are an imitation of Dr. Bentley, in fome part of the famous controverfy between him and Mr, Boyle.