FOOTNOTES:
[290] Nichols ascribes this paper to Addison, upon the evidence of MS. notes of Christopher Byron, who assisted Zachary Grey in his edition of "Hudibras." This is probably right, but the paper is not included in Tickell's edition of Addison's works.
[291] The "Partridge's Almanac" for 1710 was brought out by the Stationers' Company, and not by Partridge. The following advertisement appeared in No. 105 of the Tatler: "There having of late in several newspapers been an advertisement of an almanac called Merlinus Liberatus, pretended to be made by J. Partridge, but in truth was patched together by Benjamin Harris, famous for practices of this nature, this notice is given, to prevent persons from being imposed upon; for there will not be any almanac published by J. Partridge for the year 1710, the injunction granted by the Lord High Chancellor against printing the same being still in force; and if any person shall deal in any counterfeit almanacs, they will be proceeded against."
As Partridge is often mentioned in the Tatler (see Nos. 1, 7, 11, 56, 59, 67, 99, 216, 228, 240), it may be well to give some particulars of him in addition to what is stated in the Introduction. Partridge was born at East Sheen in 1644, and was apprenticed to a shoemaker; but he studied assiduously, and, giving up his trade, began to publish astrological books in 1678. His almanac, Merlinus Liberatus, appeared first in 1680, and in 1682 he described himself as sworn physician to Charles II. Afterwards he went to Leyden, and claimed to have received the degree of M. D. During the closing years of the century he had controversies with other almanac makers, and advertised quack medicines. When Swift attacked him in 1708 he was rightly regarded as being at the head of his profession. For a time he was silenced; no almanac appeared from 1710 to 1713; but his Merlinus Redivivus was issued in 1714, with an attack upon Swift. Partridge died at Mortlake in 1715, and a monument to his memory was erected in the churchyard. His will shows that he left property amounting to over £2000. It is said that his real name was Hewson.
[292] See No. 26.
[293] See No. 85.
[294] See No. 26.
[295] An ivy-bush often formed the sign of a tavern. Sometimes the word was applied to the tavern itself, e.g. "Twenty to one you will find him at the bush."
[296] See No. 85.