Evening star., 1909-01-24

phlets. Partridge was a thorough rascal. an
almanac maker and fortune teller. who i'm
posed upon a large number of people, and
made neat income by his predictions and
astrological works. He was only one of con-
siderable number of such public nuisances,
but was more respectable than many were.
But Swift determined to expose such hum
bugs. and pounced upon Partridge His first
move was to publish mock-serious almanac
for 1903, full of predictions of the sort that
had filled Partridge's pamphlets. He assumed
for the purpose the name " Isaac Blckerstafte.
which he had seen on sign over locksmiths
shop. In the opening, lines of the almanac.
Bickerstaffe denounced the gross abuse of
astrology in the kingdom, especially as seen in
the work of Partridge. and professed himself to
be the only true student of the science. His
predictions during the preceding two years had
all been fulfilled he said, which gave the fore
casts he was about to make additional weight
Then, with much mock astrological serious
ness, Bickerstaffe continues, My first predic-
tion is but trihe; yet l will mention it, to
show how ignorant those scottish pretenders to
to Partridge the Almanack Maker. have con-
suited the star of his nativity by my own rule,
and find he will infallibly die upon the 2oth of
March next, about eleven at night of raging
fever; therefore, advise him to consider OF it
and settle his affairs in time" He then pro-
ceeds to other prophecies deaths, &C
cide1ts, etc.
When March 30 came around, there ap-
peared in print Letter to Person of Hon
our" describing minutely the manner of Part
ridges DEATH as seen by an eye witness. This
was of course also fabrication from Swift's
pen. The letter states that Partridge did not
really die at eleven o'clock, but at five minutes
after seven, and that he made full confession
of his knavery in his dying hours. All this had
an immediate effect Many people who knew
Partridge believed he was really dead. The
poor man himself took serious offense at all
this, as we'll he might, and proclaimed loudly
that he was not dead at all. but still alive. and
in good health. Then the wits of the day took
up the joke. Some of them pretended to come
to Partridges assistance, others sided with the
"astrologer" Bickerstaffe. The hoax was soon
perceived, especially after Swift published
pamphlet giving five good reasons why Part
ridge could not be alive. as he said he was.
The most important of these reasons was that
everyone who bought a copy of Partridge's
new almanac, in which he earnestly asserted
that he was not dead, would lift up their
eyes and cry out, betwixt rage and laughter.
they were sure no man alive ever writ such
damned stuff as this"
Swifts talents were not always arrayed on
the side of truth, however. In "The Battle
of the Books" he ridiculed men who had
shown their disbelief in the spurious classical
Letters of Phalaris." d" though it has sometimes
been suspected that his satire more subtle
than it seems, and that he was really laughing
the sly at his own allies. If this is SO. it re-
calls Defoe's Shortest Way with the Dis
senters," which, while avowedly attacking the
Nonconformists, really burlesqued the ex-
treme hostility of their opponents. His mean
ing was SO veiled that the Dissenters were at
first frightened, and the High Churchmen
pleased. The price Defoe paid for this little
joke was three days in the pillory.
History Is Full of Fakes
FROM the earliest times, literary history is
full of the records of fakes and forgeries.
Spurious works supposed to antedate Homer
were read in classical times, apoCryphal writ
ings sprang up in imitation of the Gospels, and
in the Middle Ages the monks found it easy to
make the widest fctions pass current. His
tories and chronicles were full of romancing,
like the History of the Kings of Britain" by
Godfrey of Monmouth which contains the sto-
ries of Lear, of Cog and Magog, and of Old
King Cole, to mention no Others. The Voy
ages and Travels of Sir John Vaudeville p" is a
book typical of the works that were written
to satisfy the popular demand for tales of un-
known lands. Although prefaced by an ap-
parently sober bit of autobiography, it is one
great imposture. only small part of it possibly
rejecting actual experience To this day,
one knows exactly the facts of its composition.
The "Casket Letters" in which the unhappy
Mary Queen of Scots is supposed to have
poured out her love for Boutwell,, are perhaps
only forgeries. All admirers of the unfortunate
Queen will hope SO. The "Eikon Basilike,"
published as the work of Charles l.. and in
tended to arouse popular sympathy for the
ROYAL MARTYR" has been shown to have been