Jonathan Swift, et al.The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers, etc.Annus Mirabilis PREDICTIONS FOR THE YEAR 1708 Wherein the month, and day of the month are set down, the persons named, and the great actions and events of next year particularly related, as will come to pass. Written to prevent the people of England from being farther imposed on […]

A Modest Proposal for preventing the children of poorpeople in Ireland, from being a burden on their parentsor country, and for making them beneficial to the publick. by Dr. Jonathan Swift. 1729 It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, […]

Poor Hall, renown’d for comely hair,Whose hands, perhaps, were not so fair,Yet had a Jezebel as near;Hall, of small scripture conversation,Yet, howe’er Hungerford’s[1] quotation,By some strange accident had gotThe story of this garden-plot;–Wiselyforesaw he might have reasonTo dread a modern bill of treason,If Jezebel should please to wantHis small addition to her grant:Therefore resolved, in […]

The Virtues of Sid Hamet[1] the Magician’s Rod. 1710[2] The rod was but a harmless wand,While Moses held it in his hand;But, soon as e’er he laid it down,Twas a devouring serpent grown.Our great magician, Hamet Sid,Reverses what the prophet did:His rod was honest English wood,That senseless in a corner stood,Till metamorphos’d by his grasp,It […]

In The Doric Manner Shepherd. Echo, I ween, will in the woods reply, And quaintly answer questions: shall I try? Echo. Try. Shepherd. What must we do our passion to express? Echo. Press. Shepherd. How shall I please her, who ne’er loved before? Echo. Before. Shepherd. What most moves women when we them address? Echo. […]

O mi de armis tres,Imi na dis tres.Cantu disco verMeas alo ver? [Footnote: O my dear mistressI am in a distress.Can’t you discoverMe as a lover? ]

WE have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another. Reflect on things past as wars, negotiations, factions, etc. We enter so little into those interests, that we wonder how men could possibly be so busy and concerned for things so transitory; look on the present times, […]

I HAVE observed few obvious subjects to have been so seldom, or at least so slightly, handled as this; and, indeed, I know few so difficult to be treated as it ought, nor yet upon which there seemeth so much to be said. Most things pursued by men for the happiness of public or private […]

ACCORDING TO THE STYLE AND MANNER OF THE HON. ROBERT BOYLE’S MEDITATIONS. THIS single stick, which you now behold ingloriously lying in that neglected corner, I once knew in a flourishing state in a forest. It was full of sap, full of leaves, and full of boughs; but now in vain does the busy art […]

A FULL AND TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE FOUGHT LAST FRIDAY BETWEEN THE ANCIENT AND THE MODERN BOOKS IN SAINT JAMES’S LIBRARY. WHOEVER examines, with due circumspection, into the annual records of time, will find it remarked that War is the child of Pride, and Pride the daughter of Riches:- the former of which assertions […]

BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF MR. PARTRIDGE THE ALMANACK-MAKER, UPON THE 29TH INSTANT. IN A LETTER TO A PERSON OF HONOUR; WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1708. MY LORD, – In obedience to your lordship’s commands, as well as to satisfy my own curiosity, I have for some days past inquired constantly after Partridge […]

WHEREIN THE MONTH, AND DAY OF THE MONTH ARE SET DOWN, THE PERSONS NAMED, AND THE GREAT ACTIONS AND EVENTS OF NEXT YEAR PARTICULARLY RELATED AS WILL COME TO PASS. WRITTEN TO PREVENT THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND FROM BEING FARTHER IMPOSED ON BY VULGAR ALMANACK-MAKERS. BY ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, ESQ. I HAVE long considered the gross […]

THE FIRST HE WROTE OCT. 17, 1727. MOST merciful Father, accept our humblest prayers in behalf of this Thy languishing servant; forgive the sins, the frailties, and infirmities of her life past. Accept the good deeds she hath done in such a manner that, at whatever time Thou shalt please to call her, she may […]

The Second Prayer was writen NOV. 6, 1727 O MERCIFUL Father, who never afflictest Thy children but for their own good, and with justice, over which Thy mercy always prevaileth, either to turn them to repentance, or to punish them in the present life, in order to reward them in a better; take pity, we […]