I SEE an Express in mighty Hafte, with Joy and Wonder in his Looks, arriving by the Break of Day, on the 26th of this Month, having travelled in three Days a prodigious Journey by Land and Sea. In the Evening I hear Bells and Guns, and fee the Blazing of a Thousand Bonfires.

A YOUNG Admiral, of noble Birth, does likewife this Month gain immortal Honour, by a great Atchievement.

THE Affairs of Poland are this Month entirely fettled: Augustus refigns his Pretenfions, which he had again taken up for fome Time: Stanislaus is peaceably poffeffed of the Throne; and the King of Sweden declares for the Emperor.

I CANNOT omit one particular Accident here at home; that near the End of this Month, much Mischief will be done at Bartholomew Fair, by the Fall of a Booth.

SEPTEMBER. This Month begins with a very furprizing Fit of frofty Weather, which will laft near twelve Days.

THE Pope having long languished last Month; the Swellings in his Legs breaking, and the Flesh mortifying, will die on the 11th Inftant: And in three Weeks Time, after a mighty Contest, be fucceeded by a Cardinal of the Imperial Faction, but Native of Tuscany, who is now about Sixty-One Years old.

THE French Army acts now wholly on the Defenfive, ftrongly fortified in their Trenches; and the young French King fends Overtures for a Treaty of Peace, by the Duke of Mantua; which, becaufe

cause it is a Matter of State that concerns us here at home, I shall speak no farther of it.

I SHALL add but one Prediction more, and that in myftical Terms, which fhall be included in a Verfe out of Virgil.

Alter erit jam Tethys, & altera que vebat Argo, Delectos Heroas.

UPON the 25th Day of this Month, the fulfiling of this Prediction will be manifeft to every Body.

THIS is the fartheft I have proceeded in my Calculations for the prefent Year. I do not pretend, that these are all the great Events which will happen in this Period; but that those I have fet down will infallibly come to pafs. It may, perhaps, ftill be objected, why I have not spoke more particularly of Affairs at home; or of the Succefs of our Armies abroad, which I might, and could very largely have done. But those in Power have wifely difcouraged Men from meddling in publick Concerns; and I was refolved, by no Means, to give the leaft Offence. This I will venture to fay; that it will be a glorious Campaign for the Allies; wherein the English Forces, both by Sea and Land, will have their full Share of Honour: That Her Majefty Queen ANNE will continue in Health and Profperity: And that no ill Accident will arrive to any in the chief Ministry.

As to the particular Events I have mentioned, the Readers may judge by the fulfiling of them,

whe

whether I am of the Level with common Aftrolo gers; who, with an old paultry Cant, and a few Pot-hooks for Planets to amufe the Vulgar, have, in my Opinion, too long been fuffered to abuse the World. But an honeft Phyfician ought not to be defpifed, because there are fuch Things as Mountebanks. I hope, I have fome Share of Reputation, which I would not willingly forfeit for a Frolick, or Humour: And I believe no Gentleman, who reads this Paper, will look upon it to be of the fame Caft, or Mold, with the common Scribbles that are every Day hawked about. My Fortune hath placed me above the little Regard of writing for a few Pence, which I neither value nor want: Therefore, let not wife Men too haftily condemn this Effay, intended for a good Design, to cultivate and improve an antient Art, long in Difgrace by having fallen into mean unskilful Hands. A little Time will determine whether I have deceived others, or my felf; and I think it is no very unreafonable Request, that Men would please to suspend their Judgments till then. I was once of the Opinion with those who defpife all Predictions from the Stars, till in the Year 1686, a Man of Quality fhewed me, written in his Album, that the most learned Aftronomer Captain Hally, affured him, he would never believe any thing of the Stars Influence, if there were not a great Revolution in England in the Year 1688. Since that Time I began to have other Thoughts; and after Eighteen Years diligent Study and Application, I think I have no Reafon to repent of my Pains. I fhall detain the Reader no longer than to let him know, that the

Ac

Account I defign to give of next Year's Events, Thall take in the principal Affairs that happen in Europe: And if I be denied the Liberty of offering it to my own Country, I fhall appeal to the learned World, by publishing it in Latin, and giving Order to have it printed in Holland.

VOL. I.

M

THE

THE

ACCOMPLISHMENT

Of the First of

Mr. Bickerstaff's PREDICTIONS.

BEING AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

Death of Mr. Partrige, the Almanack-maker, upon the 29th Inft.

In a Letter to a Perfon of Honour.
Written in the Year 1708..

My LORD,

N Obedience to your Lordship's Commands, as well as to fatisfy my own Curiofity, I have for fome Days paft enquired conftantly after Partrige the Almanack-maker; of whom it was foretold in Mr. Bickerstaff's Predictions, published about a Month ago, that he fhould die the 29th Inftant, about Eleven at Night, of a raging Fever.

I had