The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-15
For the Dlspatch.l
The BickerstaT Papers and Virgins.

Does nobody now-a-days read the works
Of Dean swift, leaving out Gullver's
Travels? No one, ] presume. except an
old fogy here and there like myself.
make the inquiry because the recent pre-
dictions OF Virgins and others have led to
no reference to THE Bickerstati Papers -
as far as have observed.
In these papers Swift Satirized the pre-
dictionS Of a>trologerS and amanac-maker.
about the beginning OF the eighteenth cen
tury. \ man named Partridge, who was
bred cobbler, was publisher Of almanacs
and famous predicter OF storms, &C., his
rival in business and popular favor being
John Gadbury, an oxford tailor. The
English people at that day pored over the
almanacS of Partridge and Gadbury Just a.
multitudeS do now over the predictions OF
Nennor and Virgins. Country sQuircs in
England consulted Partridge'S Almanac
20 find out the events of the year al
home and abroad, and no one dared to
fix a day for a hunt without consulting
him or his rival TO ascertain what the
weather would lie. The predictions OF
these prOphetS-gencrally OF evil-werC
cOuched in ambiguous terms. such as
"ThiS month certain great person will
be threatened with death or sickness"
The death of any distinguished man any
where in Europe during the month named
would verify the prediction. And again
God preserve King William from all his
open and secret enemies. Amen" Ii tie
King should happen TO die the astrolOgeI
plinly foretold the event; otherwise il
passed for the pious ejaculation Of a Iowa
subject.
Dean Swift, under the name Of Isaac
Bicker>taii,' concluded TO try his hand rs a
weather prophet and foreteler of future
events generally. In his first letter he
ventures predictions FOR the year 110S.
He boasts OF his successes i'm previous pre-
dictions-h0w he had exactly foretold the
miscarriage at Toulon, the loss Of Admiral
shovel. Though he was mistaken aS TO the
DAY, anticipating the event by thirtySiX
| hours. &C., &c. In his ratiocinations for the
coming year he allude> sparingly to home
| affairs, las it would be imprudent to dis
cover secrets Of State" But in regard to
events abroad he makes no scruple TO pre-
| diet them i'm plain terms; and in smaller
matters he j. very free.
Then he proceeds TO give a long list OF
| predictions. On certain day Of a certain
month violent storm on the coast oi
| France would destroy many ships. On
another day the French King louis XIV,
would die at Marli and on another day,
or rather night. about IL o'clock, Mr.. Par
fridge. the celebrated almanac-make
would die Of a raging fever. Partridge is
beneyoenty eXhorted "to consider OF it,
and settle his affairs in time
The day OF Partrdge's dream arrived
and went by. But did he die? OF courS,
| he did, according TO Mr.. BickcrStati. In
| due time appeared letter 10 - 4 person Oi
! honour" pupOrtin@ TO be written by
| friend and attendant OF Partridge. in
which a circum>tlntial account was giver
of the almanac-man's death. The writer
/ stated. however, that there was a Sigh
error in the prediction, for instead OF 20
ing OF at II O'Clock Partridge died at eX
actly five minutes after :; by which it wa
clear that Mr.. Bickerstali "was mistaker
almost four hours i'm his calculation"
| Partridge was furious. In hi> next is. ne hC
| bitterly denounced the enemy who sought
to ruin his business by reporting him dead
( Mr.. Bickcr>taf' was, however, not done
with him vet. He replied TO Partridge
TRADE. Partridge had declared that he was
not only alive now, but was likewise alive
upon the very day when it was predicted
/ ne should die. "This." saws Mr.. Bicker
staff, sis the subject Of the present contro
versv between US" lie proceeds to show
out of Partridge's own mouth, that he die
| die. As TO his having been alive on the da,
appointed for his death, Bickerstaif says
There lies the sophistry OF his argument.
| He will not assert that he was alive eVel
| since that day. OF course he was alive OF
that day, for he did not die till night
Whether he be revived" remarks Mr
| Bickersiail. u leave the world to Judge
! And, turning away in disgust. he adds
This, indeed, is perfect cayilling, and
am ashamed TO dwell any longer upon It,
Mr.. Bickerslaff concludes as follows
"When the end OF the year had verified al
nv predictions out comes Mr.. Partridge
almanac disputing the point OF his death
so that am employed like the general wh'
was forced to kill his enemies twice owe
whom necromancer had raised TO life. l
Mr.. Partridge has practiced the same eN
pertinent upon himself, and be again awe
long NAV he continue so; that does not TN
least contradict my veracity. But | thlnl
| have clearly proved, by inylncible dc
monstraticn, that he died, at farthest, with
i'm half an hour OF the time j fOretoid, an'
not four hours sooner. H. the abOye-men
toned author in his letter to Lord Ia
maliciously suggested, with design L
blast my credit by charging me win =
gross a mistake"
That was the end OF Partridge.
j. A. W.
STAUNTON, March II, 1888.