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

Í shall demonstrate to the judicious, that France and Rome are at the bottom of this horrid confpiracy against me; and that Culprit aforefaid is a popish 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 universe.

Vivat Regina.

AVIN

O F

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;

MR

Written in the Year 1709.

R. Partridge hath been lately pleased to treat 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 discovery of truth, which ought to be the great end in all dif putes of the learned. To call a man fool and villain, and impudent fellow, only for differ ing from him in a point merely fpeculative, 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 scholars, is just fo much of nothing to the purpofe, 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 fupercilioufly treated for their ingenious attempts, how will true useful 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 justifying myfelf will excuse 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. Befides feveral others, which, as I have been credibly informed, were opened in the poft-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 conf dered, in how deplorable a state learning lies at present in that kingdom: and, with the profoundeft

*

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

foundest veneration for crowned heads, I will prefume to add, that it a little concerned his majefty of Portugal to interpofe his authority in behalf of a scholar and a gentleman, the subject of a nation, with which he is now in fo ftrict an alliance. But the other kingdoms and Rates 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 correfpondence 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 Bickerfaffia aftrologia inftauratori, &c. Monfieur le Clerc, quoting my predictions in a treatise he publifhed last year, is pleafed to fay, ita nuperrime Bickerfaffius magnum illud Angliæ fidus. Another great profeffor, writing of me, has thefe words: Bickerfaffius, nobilis Anglus Aftrologorum bujufce 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 contro verfy between him and Mr. Boyle,

keeper, fpends almost his whole letter in compliments and praises. It is true, the renowned profeffor of aftronomy at Utrecht seems to differ from me in one article; but it is after the modeft manner, that becomes a philofopher; as, pace tanti viri dixerim: and, page 55, he feems to lay the error upon the printer (as indeed it ought) and says, vel forsan error typographi, cum alioquin Bickerflaffius vir doctiffimus, &c.

If Mr. Partridge had followed these examples in the controversy between us, he might have fpared me the trouble of justifying myfelf in fo public a manner. 1 believe no man is readier to own his errors than I, or more thankful to those, who will please to inform him of them. But it seems this gentleman, instead of encouraging the progress of his own art, is pleafed to look upon all attempts of that kind as an invafion of his province. He hath been indeed fo wife as to make no objection against the truth of my predictions, except in one fingle point relating to himself: and, to demonstrate how much men are blinded by their own partiality, I do folemnly affure the reader, that he is the only perfon, from whom I ever heard that objection offered; which confideration 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

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