the bickerstaff-partridge papers-第5部分

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swore　that　was　honest　Dr。　Partridge；　my　old　friend；　but　poor　man；

he　is　gone。　I　beg　your　pardon；　says　another；　you　look　so　like　my

old　acquaintance　that　I　used　to　consult　on　some　private

occasions；　but；　alack；　he's　gone　the　way　of　all　flesh　　Look；

look；　look；　cries　a　third；　after　a　competent　space　of　staring　at

me；　would　not　one　think　our　neighbour　the　almanack…maker；　was

crept　out　of　his　grave　to　take　t'other　peep　at　the　stars　in　this

world；　and　shew　how　much　he　is　improv'd　in　fortune…telling　by

having　taken　a　journey　to　the　other？



Nay；　the　very　reader；　of　our　parish；　a　good　sober；　discreet

person；　has　sent　two　or　three　times　for　me　to　come　and　be　buried

decently；　or　send　him　sufficient　reasons　to　the　contrary；　if　I

have　been　interr'd　in　any　other　parish；　to　produce　my

certificate；　as　the　act　requires。　My　poor　wife　is　almost　run

distracted　with　being　called　Widow　Partridge；　when　she　knows　its

false；　and　once　a　term　she　is　cited　into　the　court；　to　take　out

letters　of　administration。　But　the　greatest　grievance　is；　a

paultry　quack；　that　takes　up　my　calling　just　under　my　nose；　and

in　his　printed　directions　with　N。B。　says；　He　lives　in　the　house

of　the　late　ingenious　Mr。　John　Partridge；　an　eminent　practitioner

in　leather；　physick　and　astrology。



But　to　show　how　far　the　wicked　spirit　of　envy；　malice　and

resentment　can　hurry　some　men；　my　nameless　old　persecutor　had

provided　me　a　monument　at　the　stone…cutter's　and　would　have

erected　it　in　the　parish…church；　and　this　piece　of　notorious　and

expensive　villany　had　actually　succeeded；　had　I　not　used　my

utmost　interest　with　the　vestry；　where　it　was　carried　at　last　but

by　two　voices；　that　I　am　still　alive。　That　stratagem　failing；　out

comes　a　long　sable　elegy；　bedeck'd　with　hour…glasses；　mattocks；

sculls；　spades；　and　skeletons；　with　an　epitaph　as　confidently

written　to　abuse　me；　and　my　profession；　as　if　I　had　been　under

ground　these　twenty　years。




And；　after　such　barbarous　treatment　as　this；　can　the　world　blame

me；　when　I　ask；　What　is　become　of　the　freedom　of　an　Englishman？

And　where　is　the　liberty　and　property　that　my　old　glorious　friend

came　over　to　assert？　We　have　drove　popery　out　of　the　nation；　and

sent　slavery　to　foreign　climes。　The　arts　only　remain　in　bondage；

when　a　man　of　science　and　character　shall　be　openly　insulted　in

the　midst　of　the　many　useful　services　he　is　daily　paying　to　the

publick。　Was　it　ever　heard；　even　in　Turkey　or　Algiers；　that　a

state…astrologer　was　banter'd　out　of　his　life　by　an　ignorant

impostor；　or　bawl'd　out　of　the　world　by　a　pack　of　villanous；

deep…mouth'd　hawkers？　Though　I　print　almanacks；　and　publish

advertisements；　though　I　produce　certificates　under　the　ministers

and　church…wardens　hands　I　am　alive；　and　attest　the　same　on　oath

at　quarter…sessions；　out　comes　a　full　and　true　relation　of　the

death　and　interment　of　John　Partridge；　Truth　is　bore　down；

attestations　neglected；　the　testimony　of　sober　persons　despised；

and　a　man　is　looked　upon　by　his　neighbours　as　if　he　had　been

seven　years　dead；　and　is　buried　alive　in　the　midst　of　his　friends

and　acquaintance。



Now　can　any　man　of　common　sense　think　it　consistent　with　the

honour　of　my　profession；　and　not　much　beneath　the　dignity　of　a

philosopher；　to　stand　bawling　before　his　own　door？　　Alive！

Alive　ho！　The　famous　Dr。　Partridge！　No　counterfeit；　but　all

alive！　　As　if　I　had　the　twelve　celestial　monsters　of　the

zodiac　to　shew　within；　or　was　forced　for　a　livelihood　to　turn

retailer　to　May　and　Bartholomew　Fairs。　Therefore；　if　Her　Majesty

would　but　graciously　be　pleased　to　think　a　hardship　of　this

nature　worthy　her　royal　consideration；　and　the　next　parliament；

in　their　great　wisdom　cast　but　an　eye　towards　the　deplorable　case

of　their　old　philomath；　that　annually　bestows　his　poetical　good

wishes　on　them；　I　am　sure　there　is　one　Isaac　Bickerstaff；　Esq；

would　soon　be　truss'd　up　for　his　bloody　predictions；　and　putting

good　subjects　in　terror　of　their　lives：　And　that　henceforward　to

murder　a　man　by　way　of　prophecy；　and　bury　him　in　a　printed

letter；　either　to　a　lord　or　commoner；　shall　as　legally　entitle

him　to　the　present　possession　of　Tyburn；　as　if　he　robb'd　on　the

highway；　or　cut　your　throat　in　bed。



I　shall　demonstrate　to　the　judicious；　that　France　and　Rome　are　at

the　bottom　of　this　horrid　conspiracy　against　me；　and　that　culprit

aforesaid　is　a　popish　emissary；　has　paid　his　visits　to　St。

Germains；　and　is　now　in　the　measures　of　Lewis　XIV。　That　in

attempting　my　reputation；　there　is　a　general　massacre　of　learning

designed　in　these　realms；　and　through　my　sides　there　is　a　wound

given　to　all　the　Protestant　almanack…makers　in　the　universe。



Vivat　Regina。

___________________________________________



A　vindication　of　Isaac　Bickerstaff；　Esq；　against　what　is　objected

to　him　by　Mr。　Partridge　in　his　almanack　for　the　present　year

1709。



By　the　said　Isaac　Bickerstaff；　Esq；



Written　in　the　year　1709。



Mr。　Partridge　hath　been　lately　pleased　to　treat　me　after　a　very

rough　manner；　in　that　which　is　called；　his　almanack　for　the

present　year：　Such　usage　is　very　undecent　from　one　gentleman　to

another；　and　does　not　at　all　contribute　to　the　discovery　of

truth；　which　ought　to　be　the　great　end　in　all　disputes　of　the

learned。　To　call　a　man　fool　and　villain；　and　impudent　fellow；

only　for　differing　from　him　in　a　point　meer　speculative；　is；　in

my　humble　opinion；　a　very　improper　style　for　a　person　of　his

education。　I　appeal　to　the　learned　world；　whether　in　my　last

year's　predictions　I　gave　him　the　least　provocation　for　such

unworthy　treatment。　Philosophers　have　differed　in　all　ages；　but

the　discreetest　among　them　have　always　differed　as　became

philosophers。　Scurrility　and　passion；　in　a　controversy　among

scholars；　is　just　so　much　of　nothing　to　the　purpose；　and　at　best；

a　tacit　confession　of　a　weak　cause：　My　concern　is　not　so　much　for

my　own　reputation；　as　that　of　the　Republick　of　Letters；　which　Mr。

Partridge　hath　endeavoured　to　wound　through　my　sides。　If　men　of

publick　spirit　must　be　superciliously　treated　for　their　ingenious

attempts；　how　will　true　useful　knowledge　be　ever　advanced？　I　wish

Mr。　Partridge　knew　the　thoughts　which　foreign　universities　have

conceived　of　his　ungenerous　proceedings　with　me；　but　I　am　too

tender　of　his　reputation　to　publish　them　to　the　world。　That

spirit　of　envy　and　pride；　which　blasts　so　many　rising　genius's　in

our　nation；　is　yet　unknown　among　professors　abroad：　The　necessity

of　justifying　myself　will　excuse　my　vanity；　when　I　tell　the

reader　that　I　have　near　a　hundred　honorary　letters　from　several

parts　of　Europe　（some　as　far　as　Muscovy）　in　praise　of　my

performance。　Besides　several　others；　which；　as　I　have　been

credibly　informed；　were　open'd　in　the　post…office　and　never　sent

me。　'Tis　true　the　Inquisition　in　Portugal　was　pleased　to　burn　my

predictions；　and　condem　the　author　and　readers　of　them；　but　I

hope　at　the　same　time；　it　will　be　consider'd　in　how　deplorable　a

state　learning　lies　at　present　in　that　kingdom：　And　with　the

profoundest　veneration　for　crown'd　heads；　I　will　presume　to　add；

that　it　a　little　concerned　His　Majesty　of　Portugal；　to　interpose

his　authority　in　behalf　of　a　scholar　and　a　gentleman；　the　subject

of　a　nation　with　which　he　is　now　in　so　strict　an　alliance。　But

the　other　kingdoms　and　states　of　Europe　have　treated　me　with　more

candor　and　generosity。　If　I　had　leave　to　print　the　Latin　letters

transmitted　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　Inquisition；　will　be　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　so　tender　a　point。

Yet　some　of　those　illustrious　persons　will　perhaps　excuse　me　from

transcribing　a　passage　or　two　in　my　own　vindication。　The　most

learned　Monsieur　Leibnits　thus　addresses　to　me　his　third　letter：

Illustrissimo　Bickerstaffio　Astrologiae　instauratori；　etc。

Monsieur　le　Clerc；　quoting　my　predictions　in　a　treatise　he

published　last　year；　is　pleased　to　say；　Ita　nuperrime

Bickerstaffius　magnum　illud　Angliae　fidus。　Another　great

professor　writing　of　me；　has　these　words：　Bickerstaffius；　nobilis

Anglus；　Astrologorum　hujusce　Saeculi　facile　Princeps。　Signior

Magliabecchi；　the　Great　Duke's　famous　library…keeper；　spends

almost　his　whole　letter　in　compliments　and　praises。　'Tis　true；

the　renowned　Professor　of　Astronomy　at　Utrecht；　seems　to　differ

from　me　in　one　article；　but　it　is　in　a　modest　manner；　that

becomes　a　philosopher；　as；　Pace　tanti　viri　dixerim：　And　pag。55；

he　seems　to　lay　the　error　upon　the　printer　（as　indeed　it　ought）

and　says；　vel　forsan　error　typographi；　cum　alioquin

Bickerstaffius　ver　doctissimus；　etc。



If　Mr。　Partridge　had　followed　this　example　in　the　controversy

between　us；　he　might　have　spared　me　the　trouble　of　justifying

myself　in　so　publick　a　manner。　I　believe　few　men　are　readier　to

own　their　errors　than　I；　or　more　thankful　to　those　who　will

please　to　inform　me　of　them。　But　it　seems　this　gentleman；　instead

of　encouraging　the　progress　of　his　own　art；　is　pleased　to　look

upon　all　attempts　of　that　kind　as　an　invasion　of　his　province。　He

has　been　indeed　so　wise　to　make　no　objection　against　the　truth　of

my　predictions；　except　in　one　single　point；　relating　to　himself：

And　to　demonstrate　how　much　men　are　blinded　by　their　own

partiality；　I　do　solemnly　assure　the　reader；　that　he　is　the　only

person　from　whom　I　ever　heard　that　objection　offered；　which

consideration　alone；　I　think；　will　take　off　all　its　weight。



With　my　utmost　endeavours；　I　have　not　been　able　to　trace　above

two　objections　ever　made　against　the　truth　of　my　last　year's

prophecies：　The　first　was　of　a　French　man；　who　was　pleased　to

publish　to　the　world；　that　the　Cardinal　de　Noailles　was　still

alive；　notwithsta