agreed with Bickerstaff's prediction? at which he shook his head,
and said, Oh! sir, this is no time for jesting, but for repenting
those fooleries, as I do now from the very bottom of my heart. By
what I can gather from you, said I, the observations and
predictions you printed, with your almanacks, were mere
impositions on the people. He reply'd, if it were otherwise I
should have the less to answer for. We have a common form for all
those things, as to foretelling the weather, we never meddle with
that, but leave it to the printer, who takes it out of any old
almanack, as he thinks fit; the rest was my own invention, to
make my almanack sell, having a wife to maintain, and no other
way to get my bread; for mending old shoes is a poor livelihood;
and, (added he, sighing) I wish I may not have done more mischief
by my physick than my astrology; tho' I had some good receipts
from my grandmother, and my own compositions were such as I
thought could at least do no hurt.

I had some other discourse with him, which now I cannot call to
mind; and I fear I have already tired your Lordship. I shall only
add one circumstance, That on his death-bed he declared himself a
Nonconformist, and had a fanatick preacher to be his spiritual
guide. After half an hour's conversation I took my leave, being
half stifled by the closeness of the room. I imagine he could not
hold out long, and therefore withdrew to a little coffee-house
hard by, leaving a servant at the house with orders to come
immediately, and tell me, as near as he could, the minute when
Partridge should expire, which was not above two hours after;
when, looking upon my watch, I found it to be above five minutes
after seven; by which it is clear that Mr. Bickerstaff was
mistaken almost four hours in his calculation. In the other