the bickerstaff-partridge papers-第3部分

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being　an　account　of　the　death　of　Mr　Partridge；　the

almanack…maker；　upon　the　29th　instant。



In　a　letter　to　a　person　of　honour

Written　in　the　year　1708



My　Lord；



In　obedience　to　your　Lordship's　commands；　as　well　as　to　satisfy

my　own　curiosity；　I　have　for　some　days　past　enquired　constantly

after　Partridge　the　almanack…maker；　of　whom　it　was　foretold　in

Mr。　Bickerstaff's　predictions；　publish'd　about　a　month　ago；　that

he　should　die　on　the　29th　instant　about　eleven　at　night　of　a

raging　fever。　I　had　some　sort　of　knowledge　of　him　when　I　was

employ'd　in　the　Revenue；　because　he　used　every　year　to　present　me

with　his　almanack；　as　he　did　other　gentlemen；　upon　the　score　of

some　little　gratuity　we　gave　him。　I　saw　him　accidentally　once　or

twice　about　ten　days　before　he　died；　and　observed　he　began　very

much　to　droop　and　languish；　tho'　I　hear　his　friends　did　not　seem

to　apprehend　him　in　any　danger。　About　two　or　three　days　ago　he

grew　ill；　and　was　confin'd　first　to　his　chamber；　and　in　a　few

hours　after　to　his　bed；　where　Dr。　Case　and　Mrs。　Kirleus　were　sent

for　to　visit；　and　to　prescribe　to　him。　Upon　this　intelligence　I

sent　thrice　every　day　one　servant　or　other　to　enquire　after　his

health；　and　yesterday；　about　four　in　the　afternoon；　word　was

brought　me　that　he　was　past　hopes：　Upon　which；　I　prevailed　with

myself　to　go　and　see　him；　partly　out　of　commiseration；　and　I

confess；　partly　out　of　curiosity。　He　knew　me　very　well；　seem'd

surpriz'd　at　my　condescension；　and　made　me　compliments　upon　it　as

well　as　he　could；　in　the　condition　he　was。　The　people　about　him

said；　he　had　been　for　some　time　delirious；　but　when　I　saw　him；　he

had　his　understanding　as　well　as　ever　I　knew；　and　spake　strong

and　hearty；　without　any　seeming　uneasiness　or　constraint。　After　I

told　him　how　sorry　I　was　to　see　him　in　those　melancholy

circumstances；　and　said　some　other　civilities；　suitable　to　the

occasion；　I　desired　him　to　tell　me　freely　and　ingeniously；

whether　the　predictions　Mr。　Bickerstaff　had　publish'd　relating　to

his　death；　had　not　too　much　affected　and　worked　on　his

imagination。　He　confess'd　he　had　often　had　it　in　his　head；　but

never　with　much　apprehension；　till　about　a　fortnight　before；

since　which　time　it　had　the　perpetual　possession　of　his　mind　and

thoughts；　and　he　did　verily　believe　was　the　true　natural　cause　of

his　present　distemper：　For；　said　he；　I　am　thoroughly　persuaded；

and　I　think　I　have　very　good　reasons；　that　Mr。　Bickerstaff　spoke

altogether　by　guess；　and　knew　no　more　what　will　happen　this　year

than　I　did　myself。　I　told　him　his　discourse　surprized　me；　and　I

would　be　glad　he　were　in　a　state　of　health　to　be　able　to　tell　me

what　reason　he　had　to　be　convinc'd　of　Mr。　Bickerstaff's

ignorance。　He　reply'd；　I　am　a　poor　ignorant　fellow；　bred　to　a

mean　trade；　yet　I　have　sense　enough　to　know　that　all　pretences　of

foretelling　by　astrology　are　deceits；　for　this　manifest　reason；

because　the　wise　and　the　learned；　who　can　only　know　whether　there

be　any　truth　in　this　science；　do　all　unanimously　agree　to　laugh

at　and　despise　it；　and　none　but　the　poor　ignorant　vulgar　give　it

any　credit；　and　that　only　upon　the　word　of　such　silly　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　see　whether　it

agreed　with　Bickerstaff's　prediction？　at　which　he　shook　his　head；

and　said；　Oh！　sir；　this　is　no　time　for　jesting；　but　for　repenting

those　fooleries；　as　I　do　now　from　the　very　bottom　of　my　heart。　By

what　I　can　gather　from　you；　said　I；　the　observations　and

predictions　you　printed；　with　your　almanacks；　were　mere

impositions　on　the　people。　He　reply'd；　if　it　were　otherwise　I

should　have　the　less　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　rest　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；　sighing）　I　wish　I　may　not　have　done　more　mischief

by　my　physick　than　my　astrology；　tho'　I　had　some　good　receipts

from　my　grandmother；　and　my　own　compositions　were　such　as　I

thought　could　at　least　do　no　hurt。



I　had　some　other　discourse　with　him；　which　now　I　cannot　call　to

mind；　and　I　fear　I　have　already　tired　your　Lordship。　I　shall　only

add　one　circumstance；　That　on　his　death…bed　he　declared　himself　a

Nonconformist；　and　had　a　fanatick　preacher　to　be　his　spiritual

guide。　After　half　an　hour's　conversation　I　took　my　leave；　being

half　stifled　by　the　closeness　of　the　room。　I　imagine　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

Partridge　should　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　almost　four　hours　in　his　calculation。　In　the　other

circumstances　he　was　exact　enough。　But　whether　he　has　not　been

the　cause　of　this　poor　man's　death；　as　well　as　the　predictor；　may

be　very　reasonably　disputed。　However；　it　must　be　confess'd　the

matter　is　odd　enough；　whether　we　should　endeavour　to　account　for

it　by　chance；　or　the　effect　of　imagination：　For　my　own　part；　tho'

I　believe　no　man　has　less　faith　in　these　matters；　yet　I　shall

wait　with　some　impatience；　and　not　without　some　expectation；　the

fulfilling　of　Mr。　Bickerstaff's　second　prediction；　that　the

Cardinal　de　Noailles　is　to　die　upon　the　fourth　of　April；　and　if

that　should　be　verified　as　exactly　as　this　of　poor　Partridge；　I

must　own　I　should　be　wholly　surprized；　and　at　a　loss；　and　should

infallibly　expect　the　accomplishment　of　all　the　rest。

______________________________________________



An　Elegy　on　the　supposed　Death　of　Partridge；　the　Almanack…Maker。



Well；　'tis　as　Bickerstaff　has　guess'd；

Tho'　we　all　took　it　for　a　jest；

Partridge　is　dead；　nay　more；　he　dy'd

E're　he　could　prove　the　good　'Squire　ly'd。

Strange；　an　Astrologer　shou'd　die；

Without　one　Wonder　in　the　Sky！

Not　one　of　all　his　Crony　Stars

To　pay　their　Duty　at　his　Herse？

No　Meteor；　no　Eclipse　appear'd？

No　Comet　with　a　flaming　Beard？

The　Sun　has　rose；　and　gone　to　Bed；

Just　as　if　partridge　were　not　dead：

Nor　hid　himself　behind　the　Moon；

To　make　a　dreadful　Night　at　Noon。

He　at　fit　Periods　walks　through　Aries；

Howe'er　our　earthly　Motion　varies；

And　twice　a　Year　he'll　cut　th'　Equator；

As　if　there　had　been　no　such　Matter。



Some　Wits　have　wonder'd　what　Analogy

There　is　'twixt　Cobbling*　and　Astrology：

How　Partridge　made　his　Optics　rise；

From　a　Shoe…Sole；　to　reach　the　Skies。



A　List　of　Coblers　Temples　Ties；

To　keep　the　Hair　out　of　their　Eyes；　

From　whence　'tis　plain　the　Diadem

That　Princes　wear；　derives　from　them。

And　therefore　Crowns　are　now…a…days

Adorn'd　with　Golden　Stars　and　Rays；　

Which　plainly　shews　the　near　Alliance

'Twixt　cobling　and　the　Planets　Science。



Besides；　that　slow…pac'd　Sign　Bootes；

As　'tis　miscall'd；　we　know　not　who　'tis？

But　Partridge　ended　all　Disputes；

He　knew　his　Trade；　and　call'd　it　**Boots。



The　Horned　Moon；　which　heretofore

Upon　their　Shoes　the　Romans　wore；

Whose　Wideness　kept　their　Toes　from　Corns；

And　whence　we　claim　our　Shooing…Horns；

Shows　how　the　Art　of　Cobling　bears

A　near　Resemblance　to　the　Spheres。



A　Scrap　of　Parchment　hung　by　Geometry

（A　great　Refinement　in　Barometry）

Can；　like　the　Stars；　foretel　the　Weather；

And　what　is　Parchment　else　but　Leather？

Which　an　Astrologer　might　use；

Either　for　Almanacks　or　Shoes。



Thus　Partridge；　by　his　Wit　and　Parts；

At　once　did　practise　both　these　Arts；

And　as　the　boading　Owl　（or　rather

The　Bat；　because　her　Wings　are　Leather）

Steals　from　her　private　Cell　by　Night；

And　flies　about　the　Candle…Light；

So　learned　Partridge　could　as　well

Creep　in　the　Dark　from　Leathern　Cell；

And；　in　his　Fancy；　fly　as　fair；

To　peep　upon　a　twinkling　Star。



Besides；　he　could　confound　the　Spheres；

And　set　the　Planets　by　the　Ears；

To　shew　his　Skill；　he　Mars　could　join

To　Venus　in　Aspect　Mali'n；

Then　call　in　Mercury　for　Aid；

And　cure　the　Wounds　that　Venus　made。



Great　Scholars　have　in　Lucian　read；

When　Philip；　King　of　Greece　was　dead；

His　Soul　and　Spirit　did　divide；

And　each　Part　took　a　diff'rent　Side；

One　rose　a　Star；　the　other　fell

Beneath；　and　mended　Shoes　in　Hell。



Thus　Partridge　still　shines　in　each　Art；

The　Cobling　and　Star…gazing　Part；

And　is　install'd　as　good　a　Star

As　any　of　the　Caesars　are。



Triumphant　Star！　some　Pity　shew

On　Coblers　militant　below；

Whom　roguish　Boys　in　stormy　Nights

Torment；　by　pissing　out　their　Lights；

Or　thro'　a　Chink　convey　their　Smoke；

Inclos'd　Artificers　to　choke。



Thou；　high　exalted　in　thy　Sphere；

May'st　follow　still　thy　Calling　there。

To　thee　the　Bull　will　lend　his　hide；

By　Phoebus　newly　tann'd　and　dry'd。

For　thee　they　Argo's　Hulk　will　tax；

And　scrape　her　pitchy　Sides　for　Wax。

Then　Ariadne　kindly　lends

Her　braided　Hair　to　make　thee　Ends。

The　Point　of　Sagittarius'　Dart

Turns　to　an　awl；　by　heav'nly　Art；

And　Vulcan；　wheedled　by　his　Wife；

Will　forge　for　thee　a　Paring…Knife。

For　want　of　Room；　by　Virgo's　Side；

She'll　strain　a　Point；　and　sit　astride***；

To　take　thee　kindly　in　between；

And　then　the　Signs　will　be　Thirteen。



*Partridge　was　a　Cobler。

**　See　his　Almanack

***Tibi　brachia　contrahet　ingens　Scorpius；　etc。

______________________________________________



An　Epitaph　on　Partridge。



Here；　five　Foot　deep；　lies　on　his　Back；

A　Cobler；　Starmonger；　and　Quack；

Who　to　the　Stars　in　pure　Good…will；

Does　to　his　best　look　upward　still。

Weep　all　you　Customers　that　use

His　Pills；　his　Almanacks；　or　Shoes；