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'Squire BICKERSTAFF detected;

OR,

The ASTROLOGICAL IMPOSTURE Convicted *.

By John Partridge, Student in Physic and Astrology.

IT

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 afferter of the liberty and property of the people, fhould cry out in vain for justice against a Frenchman, a Papift, and an illiterate pretender to science, that would blaft my reputation, most inhumanly bury me alive, and defraud my native country of thofe fervices, which, in my double capacity, I daily offer the public.

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 falfehood, 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 stars he has fo imprudently traduced, and fhew there is not a monster in the skies fo pernicious and malevolent to mankind, as an ignorant pretender to phyfic and aftrology. I fhall not directly fall on the many grofs errors, nor expofe the

*This piece being on the fame fubject, 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 Ncholas Rowe, Efq; which is a miftake: for the Rev. Dr. Yalden, preacher of Bridewell, Mr. Partriige's near neighbour, drew it up for him.

A thief feized in a cavern by Hercules.

notorious

notorious abfurdities of this proftituted libeller, till I have let the learned world fairly into the controverfy depending, and then leave the unprejudiced to judge of the merits and juftice of my cause.

It was towards the conclufion of the year 1707, when an impudent pamphlet crept into the world, intitled, Predictions, &c. by Ifaac Bickerstaff, Efq;

-amongst the many arrogant affertions laid down by that lying fpirit of divination, he was pleafed to pitch on the Cardinal de Noailles and myself, among many other eminent and illuftrious perfons, that were to die within the compass of the enfuing year; and peremptorily fixes the month, day, and hour of our deaths: this, I think, is fporting with great men, and public fpirits, to the fcandal of religion, and reproach of power; and if fovereign princes and aftrologers must make diverfion for the vulgar--why then, farewel, fay I, to all governments, ecclefiaftical and civil. But, L 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 meafures he pleafes with him; as his excellency is a foreigner, and a papift, he has no reafon 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 mafter of a pen, let him ufe it in his own defence. In the mean time I fhall prefent the pub lic with a faithful narrative of the ungenerous treatment and hard ufage I have received from the virulent papers and malicious practices of this pretended aftrologer.

A true and impartial account of the proceedings of ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, Efq; against me..

ΤΗ

HE 29th of March, Anno Dom. 1708, being Tthe the night this fham-prophet had so impru

dently

dently fixed for my laft, which made little impreffion on myself, but I cannot answer for my whole family; for my wife, with a concern more than ufual, prevailed on me to take fomewhat to sweat for a cold; and, between the hours of eight and nine, to go to bed the maid, as fhe was warming my bed, with a curiofity natural to young wenches, runs to the window, and afks of one paffing the ftreet, who the bell tolled for? Dr. Partridge, fays he, the famous almanack-maker, who died fuddenly this evening: the poor girl provoked, told him, he lyed like a rafcal; the other very fedately replied, the fexton had fo informed him, and, if falfe, he was to blame for impofing upon a ftranger. She afked a fecond, and a third, as they pasfed, and every one was in the fame tone. Now, I do not say these are accomplices to a certain aftrological 'fquire, and that one Bickerstaff might be fauntering thereabouts: because I will affert nothing here but what I dare atteft for plain matter of fact. My wife at this fell into a violent diforder; and I muft own 1 was a little difcompofed at the oddness of the accident. In the mean time one knocks at my door; Betty runs down, and opening, finds a fober grave perfon, who modeftly enquires, if this was Dr. Partridge's? the taking him for fome cautious city-patient, that came at that time for privacy, fhews him into the dining-room. As foon as I could compofe myfelf, I went to him, and was furprized to find my gentleman mounted on a table with a two foot rule in his hand, meafuring my walls, and taking the dimenfions of the room. Pray Sir, fays I, not to interrupt you, have you any bufinefs with me? only, Sir, replies he, order the girl to bring me a better light, for this is but a very dim one. Sir, fays I, my name is Partridge: oh! the doctor's brother, belike, cries he; the ftair cafe, I believe, and thefe two apartments hung in clofe mourning, will be fuffi

cient, and only a ftrip of bays round the other ooms. The doctor muft needs, die rich, he had great dealings in his way for many years; if he had no family coat, you had as good use the efcutcheons of the company; they are as showish, and will look as magnificent as if he was defcended from the blood royal. With that I affumed a greater air of authority, and demanded who employed him, or how he came there? Why, I was fent, Sir, by the company of undertakers, fays he, and they were employed by the honeft gentleman who is executor to the good doctor departed; and our rafcally porter, I believe is fallen faft afleep with the black cloath and fconces, or he had been here, and we might have been tacking up by this time. Sir, fays I, pray be advised by a friend, and make the best of your fpeed out of my doors; for I hear my wife's voice (which, by the bye, is pretty diftinguishable), and in that corner of the room ftands a good cudgel, which fomebody has felt before now; if that light in her hands, and fhe know the the bufinefs you come about, without confulting the ftars, I can affure you it will be employed very much to the detriment of your perfon. Sir, cries he, bowing with great civility, I perceive extreme grief for the lofs of the doctor disorders you a lits tle at prefent, but early in the morning I will wait on you with all neceffary materials. Now I mention no Mr. Bickerftaff; nor do I fay, that a cer tain ftar-gazing 'fquire has been playing my execu tor before his time; but I leave the world to judge; and he that puts things and things fairly together, will not be much wide of the mark.

Well, once more I got my doors clofed, and prepared for bed, in hopes of a little repofe after fo many ruffling adventures; just as I was putting out my light in order to it, another bounces as hard as he can knock ; I open the window, and alk who is there, and what he wants; I am Ned the Sexton,

Sexton, replies he, and come to know whether the doctor left any orders for a funeral fermon, and where he is to be laid, and whether his grave is to be plain or bricked? Why, firrah, fays 1, you know me well enough; and you know I am not dead, and how dare you affront me after this manner? Alack-a-day, Sir, replies the fellow, why it is in print, and the whole town knows you are dead; why, there is Mr. White the joiner is but fitting fcrews to your coffin; he will be here with it in an inftant; he was afraid you would have wanted it before this time. Sirrah, firrah, fays I, you fhall know to morrow, to your coft, that I am alive, and alive like to be. Why, it is ftrange, Sir, fays he, you thould make fuch a fecret of your death to us that are your neighbours; it looks as if you had a defign to defraud the church of its dues; and let me tell you, for one that has lived fo long by the heavens, that is unhandsomely done. Hift, hift, fays another rogue that ftood by him; away, doctor, into your flannel gear as faft as you can, for here is a whole pack of difmals coming to you with their black equipage, and how indecent will it look for you to stand frightening folks at your window, when you fhould have been in your coffin this three hours? in fhort, what with undertakers, embalmers, joiners, fextons, and your damned elegy-hawkers, upon a late practitioner in phyfic and aftrology, I got not one wink of fleep that night, nor fcarce a moment's reft ever fince. Now I doubt not, but this villainous 'fquire has the impudence to affert, that thefe are entirely ftrangers to him; he, good man, knows nothing of the matter, and honest Isaac Bickerstaff, I warrant you, is more a man of honour, than to be an accomplice with a pack of rafcals, that walk the ftreets on nights, and difturb good people in their beds; but he is out, if he thinks the whole world. is blind; for there is one John Partridge can smell a knave

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