to be exact; and must have given such advantages against me to a
person of Mr. Partridge's wit and learning, who, if he could
possibly have raised one single objection more against the truth
of my prophecies, would hardly have spared me.

And here I must take occasion to reprove the above mention'd
writer of the relation of Mr. Partridge's death, in a letter to a
lord; who was pleased to tax me with a mistake of four whole
hours in my calculation of that event. I must confess, this
censure pronounced with an air of certainty, in a matter that so
nearly concerned me, and by a grave judicious author, moved me
not a little. But tho' I was at that time out of town, yet
several of my friends, whose curiosity had led them to be exactly
informed (for as to my own part, having no doubt at all in the
matter, I never once thought of it) assured me, I computed to
something under half an hour: which (I speak my private opinion)
is an error of no very great magnitude, that men should raise a
clamour about it. I shall only say, it would not be amiss, if
that author would henceforth be more tender of other men's
reputations as well as his own. It is well there were no more
mistakes of that kind; if there had, I presume he would have told
me of them with as little ceremony.

There is one objection against Mr. Partridge's death, which I
have sometimes met with, though indeed very slightly offered,
That he still continues to write almanacks. But this is no more
than what is common to all that profession; Gadbury, Poor Robin,
Dove, Wing, and several others, do yearly publish their
almanacks, though several of them have been dead since before the
Revolution. Now the natural reason of this I take to be, that