,transcribed form the #ahhi ,george     
,bell and ,sons edition by ,david       
,price1  email ccx#jgd;coventry4ac4uk   
,,dickory ,,cronke      ,,the  ,,dumb   
,,philosopher1  ,,or1  ,,great          
,,britain',s ,,wonder2  ,,containing3   
,i4  ,a faithful and very surprising    
,account how ,dickory ,cronke1 a        
,tinner's  son1 in the ,county of       
,cornwall1 was born ,dumb1 and continued
 so for ,fifty-  eight years2 and how1  
some days before he died1 he came to his
 ,speech2  with ,memoirs of his ,life1  
and the ,manner of his ,death4    ,,ii4 
,a ,declaration of his ,faith and       
,principles in ,religion2 with a        
,collection of ,select ,meditations1    
composed in his ,retirement4    ,,iii4  
,his ,prophetical ,observations upon the
 ,affairs of ,europe1 more  particularly
 of ,great ,britain1 from #agbj to      
#agbi4  ,the whole extracted  from his  
,original ,papers1 and confirmed by     
unquestionable ,authority4    ,,to      
,,which ,,is ,,annexed ,,his ,,elegy1   

,,written ,,by ,a ,,young ,,cornish     
,,gentleman1 ,,of  ,,exeter ,,college   
,,in ,,oxford4    ,,with    ,,an        
,,epitaph ,,by ,,another ,,hand4        
,non quis1 sed quid4    ,,london3       
,printed for and ,sold by ,,thomas      
,,bickerton1 at  the ,crown1 in         
,paternoster ,row4  #agai4              
,,preface      ,the formality of a      
preface to this little book might have  
been very well  omitted1 if it were not 
to gratify the curiosity of some        
inquisitive  people1 who1 ,i foresee1   
will be apt to make objections against  
the  reality of the narrative4          
,indeed the public has too often been   
imposed upon by fictitious stories1  and
 some of a very late date1 so that ,i   
think myself obliged by the usual       
respect which is paid to candid and     
impartial readers1 to acquaint them1  by
 way of introduction1 with what they are
 to expect1 and what they may  depend   
upon1 and yet with this caution too1    
that it is an indication of  ill nature 

or ill manners1 if not both1 to pry into
 a secret that is  industriously        
concealed4    ,however1 that there may  
be nothing wanting on my part1 ,i do    
hereby assure  the reader1 that the     
papers from whence the following sheets 
were  extracted1 are now in town1 in the
 custody of a person of unquestionable  
reputation1 who1 ,i will be bold to say1
 will not only be ready1 but  proud1 to 
produce them upon a good occasion1 and  
that ,i think is as much  satisfaction  
as the nature of this case requires4    
,as to the performance1 it can signify  
little now to make an apology upon  that
 account1 any farther than this1 that if
 the reader pleases he may  take notice 
that what he has now before him was     
collected from a large  bundle of       
papers1 most of which were writ in      
shorthand1 and very  ill-digested4      
,however1 this may be relied upon1 that 
though the language  is something       
altered1 and now and then a word thrown 
in to help the  expression1 yet strict  

care has been taken to speak the        
author's mind1  and keep as close as    
possible to the meaning of the original4
  ,for the  design1 ,i think there is   
nothing need be said in vindication of  
that4  ,here is a dumb philosopher      
introduced to a wicked and degenerate   
generation1 as a proper emblem of virtue
 and morality2 and if the world  could  
be persuaded to look upon him with      
candour and impartiality1 and  then to  
copy after him1 the editor has gained   
his end1 and would think  himself       
sufficiently recompensed for his present
 trouble4          ,,part ,i      ,among
 the many strange and surprising events 
that help to fill the  accounts of this 
last century1 ,i know none that merit   
more an entire  credit1 or are more fit 
to be preserved and handed to posterity 
than  those ,i am now going to lay      
before the public4    ,dickory ,cronke1 
the subject of the following narrative1 
was born at a  little hamlet1 near ,st4 
,columb1 in ,cornwall1 on the #bith of  

,may1 #affj1  being the day and year in 
which ,king ,charles the ,second was    
restored4  ,his  parents were of mean   
extraction1 but honest1 industrious     
people1 and well  beloved in their      
neighbourhood4  ,his father's chief     
business was to work  at the tin mines2 
his mother stayed at home to look after 
the children1  of which they had several
 living at the same time4  ,our ,dickory
 was the  youngest1 and being but a     
sickly child1 had always a double       
portion of  her care and tenderness4    
,it was upwards of three years before it
 was discovered that he was born  dumb1 
the knowledge of which at first gave his
 mother great uneasiness1  but finding  
soon after that he had his hearing1 and 
all his other senses  to the greatest   
perfection1 her grief began to abate1   
and she resolved to  have him brought up
 as well as their circumstances and his 
capacity would  permit4    ,as he grew1 
notwithstanding his want of speech1 he  
every day gave some  instance of a ready

 genius1 and a genius much superior to  
the country  children1 insomuch that    
several gentlemen in the neighbourhood  
took  particular notice of him1 and     
would often call him ,restoration ,dick1
 and  give him money1 c4    ,when he    
came to be eight years of age1 his      
mother agreed with a person in  the next
 village1 to teach him to read and      
write1 both which1 in a very  short     
time1 he acquired to such perfection1   
especially the latter1 that  he not only
 taught his own brothers and sisters1   
but likewise several  young men and     
women in the neighbourhood1 which often 
brought him in  small sums1 which he    
always laid out in such necessaries as  
he stood most  in need of4    ,in this  
state he continued till he was about    
twenty1 and then he began to  reflect   
how scandalous it was for a young man of
 his age and  circumstances to live idle
 at home1 and so resolves to go with his
 father  to the mines1 to try if he     
could get something towards the support 

of  himself and the family2 but being of
 a tender constitution1 and often  sick1
 he soon perceived that sort of business
 was too hard for him1 so  was forced to
 return home and continue in his former 
station2 upon which  he grew exceeding  
melancholy1 which his mother observing1 
she comforted  him in the best manner   
she could1 telling him that if it should
 please  ,god to take her away1 she had 
something left in store for him1 which  
would preserve him against public want4 
,this kind assurance from a mother whom 
he so dearly loved gave him some1       
though not an entire satisfaction2      
however1 he resolves to acquiesce  under
 it till ,providence should order       
something for him more to his  content  
and advantage1 which1 in a short time   
happened according to his  wish4  ,the  
manner was thus3--    ,one ,mr4 ,owen   
,parry1 a ,welsh gentleman of good      
repute1 coming from ,bristol  to        
,padstow1 a little seaport in the county
 of ,cornwall1 near the place  where    

,dickory dwelt1 and hearing much of this
 dumb man's perfections1  would needs   
have him sent for2 and finding1 by his  
significant gestures  and all outward   
appearances that he much exceeded the   
character that the  country gave of him1
 took a mighty liking to him1 insomuch  
that he told  him1 if he would go with  
him into ,pembrokeshire1 he would be    
kind to him1  and take care of him as   
long as he lived4    ,this kind and     
unexpected offer was so welcome to poor 
,dickory1 that  without any farther     
consideration1 he got a pen and ink and 
writ a note1  and in a very handsome and
 submissive manner returned him thanks  
for his  favour1 assuring him he would  
do his best to continue and improve it2 
and  that he would be ready to wait upon
 him whenever he should be pleased to   
command4    ,to shorten the account as  
much as possible1 all things were       
concluded to  their mutual satisfaction1
 and in about a fortnight's time they   
set  forward for ,wales1 where ,dickory1

 notwithstanding his dumbness1 behaved  
himself with so much diligence and      
affability1 that he not only gained  the
 love of the family where he lived1 but 
of everybody round him4    ,in this     
station he continued till the death of  
his master1 which happened  about twenty
 years afterwards2 in all which time1 as
 has been confirmed  by several of the  
family1 he was never observed to be any 
ways disguised  by drinking1 or to be   
guilty of any of the follies and        
irregularities  incident to servants in 
gentlemen's houses4  ,on the contrary1  
when he had  any spare time1 his        
constant custom was to retire with some 
good book  into a private place within  
call1 and there employ himself in       
reading1  and then writing down his     
observations upon what he read4         
,after the death of his master1 whose   
loss afflicted him to the last  degree1 
one ,mrs4 ,mary ,mordant1 a gentlewoman 
of great virtue and piety1  and a very  
good fortune1 took him into her service1

 and carried him with  her1 first to    
,bath1 and then to ,bristol1 where1     
after a lingering  distemper1 which     
continued for about four years1 she died
 likewise4    ,upon the loss of his     
mistress1 ,dickory grew again exceeding 
melancholy  and disconsolate2 at length1
 reflecting that death is but a common  
debt  which all mortals owe to nature1  
and must be paid sooner or later1 he    
became a little better satisfied1 and so
 determines to get together what  he had
 saved in his service1 and then to      
return to his native country1  and there
 finish his life in privacy and         
retirement4    ,having been1 as has been
 mentioned1 about twenty-four years a   
servant1  and having1 in the interim1   
received two legacies1 viz41 one of     
thirty  pounds1 left him by his master1 
and another of fifteen pounds by his    
mistress1 and being always very frugal1 
he had got by him in the whole  upwards 
of sixty pounds4  ,this1 thinks he1 with
 prudent management1 will  be enough to 

support me as long as ,i live1 and so   
,i'll e'en lay aside all  thoughts of   
future business1 and make the best of my
 way to ,cornwall1 and  there find out  
some safe and solitary retreat1 where ,i
 may have liberty  to meditate and make 
my melancholy observations upon the     
several  occurrences of human life4     
,this resolution prevailed so far1 that 
no time was let slip to get  everything 
in readiness to go with the first ship4 
,as to his money1 he  always kept that  
locked up by him1 unless he sometimes   
lent it to a  friend without interest1  
for he had a mortal hatred to all sorts 
of usury  or extortion4  ,his books1 of 
which he had a considerable quantity1   
and  some of them very good ones1       
together with his other equipage1 he got
  packed up1 that nothing might be      
wanting against the first opportunity4  
,in a few days he heard of a vessel     
bound to ,padstow1 the very port he     
wished to go to1 being within four or   
five miles of the place where he  was   

born4  ,when he came thither1 which was 
in less than a week1 his first  business
 was to inquire after the state of his  
family4  ,it was some time  before he   
could get any information of them1 until
 an old man that knew  his father and   
mother1 and remembered they had a son   
was born dumb1  recollected him1 and    
after a great deal of difficulty1 made  
him  understand that all his family     
except his youngest sister were dead1   
and  that she was a widow1 and lived at 
a little town called ,st4 ,helen's1     
about ten miles farther in the country4 
,this doleful news1 we must imagine1    
must be extremely shocking1 and add a   
new sting to his former affliction2 and 
here it was that he began to  exercise  
the philosopher1 and to demonstrate     
himself both a wise and a  good man4    
,all these things1 thinks he1 are the   
will of ,providence1 and  must not be   
disputed2 and so he bore up under them  
with an entire  resignation1 resolving  
that1 as soon as he could find a place  

where he  might deposit his trunk and   
boxes with safety1 he would go to ,st4  
,helen's  in quest of his sister4       
,how his sister and he met1 and how     
transported they were to see each  other
 after so long an interval1 ,i think is 
not very material4  ,it is  enough for  
the present purpose that ,dickory soon  
recollected his sister1  and she him2   
and after a great many endearing tokens 
of love and  tenderness1 he wrote to    
her1 telling her that he believed       
,providence had  bestowed on him as much
 as would support him as long as he     
lived1 and  that if she thought proper  
he would come and spend the remainder of
 his  days with her4    ,the good woman 
no sooner read his proposal than she    
accepted it1 adding1  withal1 that she  
could wish her entertainment was better2
 but if he would  accept of it as it    
was1 she would do her best to make      
everything easy1  and that he should be 
welcome upon his own terms1 to stay with
 her as  long as he pleased4    ,this   

affair being so happily settled to his  
full satisfaction1 he returns  to       
,padstow to fetch the things he had left
 behind him1 and the next day  came back
 to ,st4 ,helen's1 where1 according to  
his own proposal1 he  continued to the  
day of his death1 which happened upon   
the #bith of ,may1  #agah1 about the    
same hour in which he was born4         
,having thus given a short detail of the
 several periods of his life1  extracted
 chiefly from the papers which he left  
behind him1 ,i come in the  next place  
to make a few observations how he       
managed himself and spent  his time     
toward the latter part of it4    ,his   
constant practice1 both winter and      
summer1 was to rise and set with  the   
sun2 and if the weather would permit1 he
 never failed to walk in some           
unfrequented place1 for three hours1    
both morning and evening1 and there  it 
is supposed he composed the following   
meditations4  ,the chief part of  his   
sustenance was milk1 with a little bread

 boiled in it1 of which in  the morning1
 after his walk1 he would eat the       
quantity of a pint1 and  sometimes more4
  ,dinners he never eat any2 and at     
night he would only  have a pretty large
 piece of bread1 and drink a draught of 
good spring  water2 and after this      
method he lived during the whole time he
 was at ,st4  ,helen's4  ,it is observed
 of him that he never slept out of a    
bed1 nor  never lay awake in one2 which 
,i take to be an argument1 not only of a
  strong and healthful constitution1 but
 of a mind composed and calm1 and       
entirely free from the ordinary         
disturbances of human life4  ,he never  
gave the least signs of complaint or    
dissatisfaction at anything1 unless  it 
was when he heard the tinners swear1 or 
saw them drunk2 and then1 too1  he would
 get out of the way as soon as he had   
let them see1 by some  significant      
signs1 how scandalous and ridiculous    
they made themselves2  and against the  
next time he met them1 would be sure to 

have a paper  ready written1 wherein he 
would represent the folly of            
drunkenness1 and  the dangerous         
consequences that generally attended it4
    ,idleness was his utter aversion1   
and if at any time he had finished the  
business of the day1 and was grown weary
 of reading and writing1 in which  he   
daily spent six hours at least1 he would
 certainly find something  either within
 doors or without1 to employ himself4   
,much might be said both with regard to 
the wise and regular management1  and   
the prudent methods he took to spend his
 time well towards the  declension of   
his life2 but1 as his history may       
perhaps be shortly  published at large  
by a better hand1 ,i shall only observe 
in the general1  that he was a person of
 great wisdom and sagacity4  ,he        
understood nature  beyond the ordinary  
capacity1 and1 if he had had a          
competency of learning  suitable to his 
genius1 neither this nor the former ages
 would have  produced a better          

philosopher or a greater man4    ,i come
 next to speak of the manner of his     
death and the consequences  thereof1    
which are1 indeed1 very surprising1 and1
 perhaps1 not altogether  unworthy a    
general observation4  ,i shall relate   
them as briefly as ,i can1  and leave   
every one to believe or disbelieve as he
 thinks proper4    ,upon the #bfth of   
,may1 #agah1 according to his usual     
method1 about four in  the afternoon1 he
 went out to take his evening walk2 but 
before he could  reach the place he     
intended1 he was siezed with an         
apoplectic fit1 which  only gave him    
liberty to sit down under a tree1 where1
 in an instant1 he  was deprived of all 
manner of sense and motion1 and so he   
continued1 as  appears by his own       
confession afterwards1 for more than    
fourteen hours4    ,his sister1 who knew
 how exact he was in all his methods1   
finding him  stay a considerable time   
beyond the usual hour1 concludes that   
some  misfortune must needs have        

happened to him1 or he would certainly  
have  been at home before4  ,in short1  
she went immediately to all the places  
he  was wont to frequent1 but nothing   
could be heard or seen of him till the  
next morning1 when a young man1 as he   
was going to work1 discovered him1  and 
went home and told his sister that her  
brother lay in such a place1  under a   
tree1 and1 as he believed had been      
robbed and murdered4    ,the poor woman1
 who had all night been under the most  
dreadful  apprehensions1 was now        
frightened and confounded to the last   
degree4  ,however1 recollecting herself1
 and finding there was no remedy1 she   
got  two or three of her neighbours to  
bear her company1 and so hastened with  
the young man to the tree1 where she    
found her brother lying in the same     
posture that he had described4    ,the  
dismal object at first view startled and
 surprised everybody present1  and      
filled them full of different notions   
and conjectures4  ,but some of  the     

company going nearer to him1 and finding
 that he had lost nothing1  and that    
there were no marks of any violence to  
be discovered about him1  they conclude 
that it must be an apoplectic or some   
other sudden fit that  had surprised him
 in his walk1 upon which his sister and 
the rest began  to feel his hands and   
face1 and observing that he was still   
warm1 and  that there were some symptoms
 of life yet remaining1 they conclude   
that  the best way was to carry him home
 to bed1 which was accordingly done     
with the utmost expedition4    ,when    
they had got him into the bed1 nothing  
was omitted that they could  think of to
 bring him to himself1 but still he     
continued utterly  insensible for about 
six hours4  ,at the sixth hour's end he 
began to move  a little1 and in a very  
short time was so far recovered1 to the 
great  astonishment of everybody about  
him1 that he was able to look up1 and to
  make a sign to his sister to bring him
 a cup of water4    ,after he had drunk 

the water he soon perceived that all his
 faculties  were returned to their      
former stations1 and though his strength
 was very  much abated by the length and
 rigour of the fit1 yet his intellects  
were  as strong and vigorous as ever4   
,his sister observing him to look       
earnestly upon the company1 as if he had
  something extraordinary to communicate
 to them1 fetched him a pen and ink  and
 a sheet of paper1 which1 after a short 
pause1 he took1 and wrote as  follows3--
       ,dear sister1       ,i have now  
no need of pen1 ink1 and paper1 to tell 
you my meaning4  ,i     find the strings
 that bound up my tongue1 and hindered  
me from     speaking1 are unloosed1 and 
,i have words to express myself as      
freely     and distinctly as any other  
person4  ,from whence this strange and  
unexpected event should proceed1 ,i must
 not pretend to say1 any     farther    
than this1 that it is doubtless the hand
 of ,providence that     has done it1   
and in that ,i ought to acquiesce4      

,pray let me be alone     for two or    
three hours1 that ,i may be at liberty  
to compose myself1     and put my       
thoughts in the best order ,i can before
 ,i leave them behind     me4    ,the   
poor woman1 though extremely startled at
 what her brother had  written1 yet took
 care to conceal it from the neighbours1
 who1 she knew1  as well as she1 must be
 mightily surprised at a thing so       
utterly  unexpected4  ,says she1 my     
brother desires to be alone2 ,i believe 
he may  have something in his mind that 
disturbs him4  ,upon which the          
neighbours  took their leave and        
returned home1 and his sister shut the  
door1 and  left him alone to his private
 contemplations4    ,after the company  
were withdrawn he fell into a sound     
sleep1 which lasted  from two till six1 
and his sister1 being apprehensive of   
the return of  his fit1 came to the     
bedside1 and1 asking softly if he wanted
 anything1  he turned about to her and  
spoke to this effect3 ,dear sister1 you 

see me  not only recovered out of a     
terrible fit1 but likewise that ,i have 
the  liberty of speech1 a blessing that 
,i have been deprived of almost sixty   
years1 and ,i am satisfied you are      
sincerely joyful to find me in the      
state ,i now am in2 but1 alas6 it is but
 a mistaken kindness4  ,these are       
things but of short duration1 and if    
they were to continue for a hundred     
years longer1 ,i can't see how ,i should
 be anyways the better4    ,i know the  
world too well to be fond of it1 and am 
fully satisfied that  the difference    
between a long and a short life is      
insignificant1  especially when ,i      
consider the accidents and company ,i am
 to encounter4  ,do but look seriously  
and impartially upon the astonishing    
notion of time  and eternity1 what an   
immense deal has run out already1 and   
how infinite  it is still in the future2
 do but seriously and deliberately      
consider  this1 and you will find1 upon 
the whole1 that three days and three    

ages  of life come much to the same     
measure and reckoning4    ,as soon as he
 had ended his discourse upon the vanity
 and uncertainty of  human life1 he     
looked steadfastly upon her4  ,sister1  
says he1 ,i conjure  you not to be      
disturbed at what ,i am going to tell   
you1 which you will  undoubtedly find to
 be true in every particular4  ,i       
perceive my glass is  run1 and ,i have  
now no more to do in this world but to  
take my leave of  it2 for to-morrow     
about this time my speech will be again 
taken from me1  and1 in a short time1 my
 fit will return2 and the next day1     
which ,i  understand is the day on which
 ,i came into this troublesome world1 ,i
  shall exchange it for another1 where1 
for the future1 ,i shall for ever be    
free from all manner of sin and         
sufferings4    ,the good woman would    
have made him a reply1 but he prevented 
her by  telling her he had no time to   
hearken to unnecessary complaints or    
animadversions4  ,i have a great many   

things in my mind1 says he1 that        
require a speedy and serious            
consideration4  ,the time ,i have to    
stay is  but short1 and ,i have a great 
deal of important business to do in it4 
,time and death are both in my view1 and
 seem both to call aloud to me to  make 
no delay4  ,i beg of you1 therefore1 not
 to disquiet yourself or me4  ,what must
 be1 must be4  ,the decrees of          
,providence are eternal and             
unalterable2 why1 then1 should we       
torment ourselves about that which we   
cannot remedy8    ,i must confess1 my   
dear sister1 ,i owe you many obligations
 for your  exemplary fondness to me1 and
 do solemnly assure you ,i shall retain 
the  sense of them to the last moment4  
,all that ,i have to request of you is1 
that ,i may be alone for this night4  ,i
 have it in my thoughts to leave  some  
short observations behind me1 and       
likewise to discover some things  of    
great weight which have been revealed to
 me1 which may perhaps be of  some use  

hereafter to you and your friends4      
,what credit they may meet  with ,i     
cannot say1 but depend the consequence1 
according to their  respective periods1 
will account for them1 and vindicate    
them against the  supposition of falsity
 and mere suggestion4    ,upon this1 his
 sister left him till about four in the 
morning1 when  coming to his bedside to 
know if he wanted anything1 and how he  
had  rested1 he made her this answer2 ,i
 have been taking a cursory view of my  
life1 and though ,i find myself         
exceedingly deficient in several        
particulars1 yet ,i bless ,god ,i cannot
 find ,i have any just grounds to       
suspect my pardon4  ,in short1 says he1 
,i have spent this night with more      
inward pleasure and true satisfaction   
than ever ,i spent a night through  the 
whole course of my life4    ,after he   
had concluded what he had to say upon   
the satisfaction that  attended an      
innocent and well-spent life1 and       
observed what a mighty  consolation it  

was to persons1 not only under the      
apprehension1 but even  in the very     
agonies of death itself1 he desired her 
to bring him his  usual cup of water1   
and then to help him on with his        
clothes1 that he  might sit up1 and so  
be in a better posture to take his leave
 of her and  her friends4    ,when she  
had taken him up1 and placed him at a   
table where he usually  sat1 he desired 
her to bring him his box of papers1 and 
after he had  collected those he        
intended should be preserved1 he ordered
 her to bring  a candle1 that he might  
see the rest burnt4  ,the good woman    
seemed at  first to oppose the burning  
of his papers1 till he told her they    
were  only useless trifles1 some        
unfinished observations which he had    
made in  his youthful days1 and were not
 fit to be seen by her1 or anybody that 
should come after him4    ,after he had 
seen his papers burnt1 and placed the   
rest in their proper  order1 and had    
likewise settled all his other affairs1 

which was only fit  to be done between  
himself and his sister1 he desired her  
to call two or  three of the most       
reputable neighbours1 not only to be    
witnesses of his  will1 but likewise to 
hear what he had farther to communicate 
before the  return of his fit1 which he 
expected very speedily4    ,his sister1 
who had beforehand acquainted two or    
three of her confidants  with all that  
had happened1 was very much rejoiced to 
hear her brother  make so unexpected a  
concession2 and accordingly1 without any
 delay or  hesitation1 went directly    
into the neighbourhood1 and brought home
 her  two select friends1 upon whose    
secrecy and sincerity she knew she might
  depend upon all accounts4    ,in her  
absence he felt several symptoms of the 
approach of his fit1 which  made him a  
little uneasy1 lest it should entirely  
seize him before he had  perfected his  
will1 but that apprehension was quickly 
removed by her  speedy return4  ,after  
she had introduced her friends into his 

chamber1 he  proceeded to express       
himself in the following manner2 ,dear  
sister1 you  now see your brother upon  
the brink of eternity2 and as the words 
of  dying persons are commonly the most 
regarded1 and make deepest  impressions1
 ,i cannot suspect but you will suffer  
the few ,i am about to  say to have     
always some place in your thoughts1 that
 they may be ready  for you to make use 
of upon any occasion4    ,do not be fond
 of anything on this side of eternity1  
or suffer your  interest to incline you 
to break your word1 quit your modesty1  
or to do  anything that will not bear   
the light1 and look the world in the    
face4  ,for be assured of this2 the     
person that values the virtue of his    
mind and  the dignity of his reason1 is 
always easy and well fortified both     
against  death and misfortune1 and is   
perfectly indifferent about the length  
or  shortness of his life4  ,such a one 
is solicitous about nothing but his  own
 conduct1 and for fear he should be     

deficient in the duties of  religion1   
and the respective functions of reason  
and prudence4    ,always go the nearest 
way to work4  ,now1 the nearest way     
through all the  business of human life1
 are the paths of religion and honesty1 
and  keeping those as directly as you   
can1 you avoid all the dangerous        
precipices that often lie in the road1  
and sometimes block up the passage      
entirely4    ,remember that life was but
 lent at first1 and that the remainder  
is more  than you have reason to expect1
 and consequently ought to be managed   
with  more than ordinary diligence4  ,a 
wise man spends every day as if it were 
his last2 his hourglass is always in his
 hand1 and he is never guilty of        
sluggishness or insincerity4    ,he was 
about to proceed1 when a sudden symptom 
of the return of his fit  put him in    
mind that it was time to get his will   
witnessed1 which was no  sooner done but
 he took it up and gave it to his       
sister1 telling her that  though all he 

had was hers of right1 yet he thought it
 proper1 to prevent  even a possibility 
of a dispute1 to write down his mind in 
the nature of  a will1 wherein ,i have  
given you1 says he1 the little that ,i  
have left1  except my books and papers1 
which1 as soon as ,i am dead1 ,i desire 
may be  delivered to ,mr4 ,anthony      
,barlow1 a near relation of my worthy   
master1 ,mr4  ,owen ,parry4    ,this    
,mr4 ,anthony ,barlow was an old        
contemplative ,welsh gentleman1 who1    
being under some difficulties in his own
 country1 was forced to come into       
,cornwall and take sanctuary among the  
tinners4  ,dickory1 though he kept      
himself as retired as possible1 happened
 to meet him one day upon his  walks1   
and presently remembered that he was the
 very person that used  frequently to   
come to visit his master while he lived 
in ,pembrokeshire1  and so went to him1 
and by signs made him understand who he 
was4    ,the old gentleman1 though at   
first surprised at this unexpected      

interview1 soon recollected that he had 
formerly seen at ,mr4 ,parry's a  dumb  
man1 whom they used to call the dumb    
philosopher1 so concludes  immediately  
that consequently this must be he4  ,in 
short1 they soon made  themselves known 
to each other2 and from that time       
contracted a strict  friendship and a   
correspondence by letters1 which for the
 future they  mutually managed with the 
greatest exactness and familiarity4     
,but to leave this as a matter not much 
material1 and to return to our          
narrative4  ,by this time ,dickory's    
speech began to falter1 which his       
sister observing1 put him in mind that  
he would do well to make some           
declaration of his faith and principles 
of religion1 because some  reflections  
had been made upon him upon the account 
of his neglect1 or  rather his refusal1 
to appear at any place of public        
worship4       ,dear sister1 says he1   
you observe very well1 and ,i wish the  
continuance of my speech for a few      

moments1 that ,i might make an ample    
declaration upon that account4  ,but ,i 
find that cannot be2 my speech     is   
leaving me so fast that ,i can only tell
 you that ,i have always     lived1 and 
now die1 an unworthy member of the      
ancient catholic and     apostolic      
church2 and as to my faith and          
principles1 ,i refer you to my          
papers1 which1 ,i hope1 will in some    
measure vindicate me against the        
reflections you mention4    ,he had     
hardly finished his discourse to his    
sister and her two friends1  and given  
some short directions relating to his   
burial1 but his speech  left him2 and   
what makes the thing the more           
remarkable1 it went away1 in  all       
appearance1 without giving him any sort 
of pain or uneasiness4    ,when he      
perceived that his speech was entirely  
vanished1 and that he was  again in his 
original state of dumbness1 he took his 
pen as formerly and  wrote to his       
sister1 signifying that whereas the     

sudden loss of his  speech had deprived 
him of the opportunity to speak to her  
and her  friends what he intended1 he   
would leave it for them in writing1 and 
so  desired he might not be disturbed   
till the return of his fit1 which he    
expected in six hours at farthest4      
,according to his desire they all left  
him1 and then1 with the greatest        
resignation imaginable1 he wrote down   
the meditations following3              
,,part ,,ii      ,an ,abstract of his   
,faith1 and the ,principles of his      
,religion c41 which  begins thus3       
,dear ,sister2 ,i thank you for putting 
me in mind to make a declaration of  my 
faith1 and the principles of my         
religion4  ,i find1 as you very well    
observe1 ,i have been under some        
reflections upon that account1 and      
therefore ,i think it highly requisite  
that ,i set that matter right in the    
first place4  ,to begin1 therefore1 with
 my faith1 in which ,i intend to be  as 
short and as comprehensive as ,i can3   

#a4  ,i most firmly believe that it was 
the eternal will of ,god1 and the       
result of his infinite wisdom1 to create
 a world1 and for the glory of  his     
majesty to make several sorts of        
creatures in order and degree one  after
 another2 that is to say1 angels1 or    
pure immortal spirits2 men1  consisting 
of immortal spirits and matter1 having  
rational and sensitive  souls2 brutes1  
having mortal and sensitive souls2 and  
mere vegetatives1  such as trees1       
plants1 c42 and these creatures so made 
do1 as it were1  clasp the higher and   
lower world together4    #b4  ,i believe
 the holy ,scriptures1 and everything   
therein contained1 to  be the pure and  
essential word of ,god2 and that1       
according to these  sacred writings1    
man1 the lord and prince of the         
creation1 by his  disobedience in       
,paradise1 forfeited his innocence and  
the dignity of his  nature1 and         
subjected himself and all his posterity 
to sin and misery4    #c4  ,i believe   

and am fully and entirely satisfied1    
that ,god the ,father1  out of his      
infinite goodness and compassion to     
mankind1 was pleased to  send his only  
,son1 the second person in the holy and 
undivided ,trinity1  to meditate for    
him1 and to procure his redemption and  
eternal salvation4    #d4  ,i believe   
that ,god the ,son1 out of his infinite 
love1 and for the  glory of the ,deity1 
was pleased voluntarily and freely to   
descend from  heaven1 and to take our   
nature upon him1 and to lead an         
exemplary life of  purity1 holiness1 and
 perfect obedience1 and at last to      
suffer an  ignominious death upon the   
cross1 for the sins of the whole world1 
and to  rise again the third day for our
 justification4    #e4  ,i believe that 
the ,holy ,ghost out of his infinite    
goodness was  pleased to undertake the  
office of sanctifying us with his divine
 grace1  and thereby assisting us with  
faith to believe1 will to desire1 and   
power  to do all those things that are  

required of us in this world1 in order  
to  entitle us to the blessings of just 
men made perfect in the world to  come4 
#f4  ,i believe that these three persons
 are of equal power1 majesty1 and       
duration1 and that the ,godhead of the  
,father1 of the ,son1 and of the ,holy  
,ghost is all one1 and that they are    
equally uncreate1 incomprehensible1     
eternal1 and almighty2 and that none is 
greater or less than the other1  but    
that every one hath one and the same    
divine nature and perfections4          
,these1 sister1 are the doctrines which 
have been received and practised  by the
 best men of every age1 from the        
beginning of the ,christian  religion to
 this day1 and it is upon this ,i ground
 my faith and hopes of  salvation1 not  
doubting but1 if my life and practice   
have been answerable  to them1 that ,i  
shall be quickly translated out of this 
kingdom of  darkness1 out of this world 
of sorrow1 vexation and confusion1 into 
that  blessed kingdom1 where ,i shall   

cease to grieve and to suffer1 and shall
  be happy to all eternity4    ,as to my
 principles in religion1 to be as brief 
as ,i can1 ,i declare  myself to be a   
member of ,christ's church1 which ,i    
take to be a universal  society of all  
,christian people1 distributed under    
lawful governors and  pastors into      
particular churches1 holding communion  
with each other in  all the essentials  
of the ,christian faith1 worship1 and   
discipline2 and  among these ,i look    
upon the ,church of ,england to be the  
chief and best  constituted4    ,the    
,church of ,england is doubtless the    
great bulwark of the ancient  ,catholic 
or ,apostolic faith all over the world2 
a church that has all the  spiritual    
advantages that the nature of a church  
is capable of4  ,from the  doctrine and 
principles of the ,church of ,england1  
we are taught loyalty  to our prince1   
fidelity to our country1 and justice to 
all mankind2 and  therefore1 as ,i look 
upon this to be one of the most         

excellent branches  of the ,church      
,universal1 and stands1 as it were1     
between superstition and  hypocrisy1 ,i 
therefore declare1 for the satisfaction 
of you and your  friends1 as ,i have    
always lived so ,i now die1 a true and  
sincere1 though  a most unworthy member 
of it4  ,and as to my discontinuance of 
my  attendance at the public worship1 ,i
 refer you to my papers1 which ,i have  
left with my worthy friend1 ,mr4        
,barlow4  ,and thus1 my dear sister1 ,i 
have  given you a short account of my   
faith1 and the principles of my         
religion4  ,i come1 in the next place1  
to lay before you a few meditations and 
observations ,i have at several times   
collected together1 more  particularly  
those since my retirement to ,st4       
,helen's4        ,meditations and       
,observations relating to the ,conduct  
of ,human ,life in  general4      #a4   
,remember how often you have neglected  
the great duties of religion  and       
virtue1 and slighted the opportunities  

that ,providence has put into  your     
hands2 and1 withal1 that you have a set 
period assigned you for the  management 
of the affairs of human life2 and then  
reflect seriously that1  unless you     
resolve immediately to improve the      
little remains1 the whole  must         
necessarily slip away insensibly1 and   
then you are lost beyond  recovery4     
#b4  ,let an unaffected gravity1        
freedom1 justice1 and sincerity shine   
through all your actions1 and let no    
fancies and chimeras give the least     
check to those excellent qualities4     
,this is an easy task1 if you will  but 
suppose everything you do to be your    
last1 and if you can keep your  passions
 and appetites from crossing your       
reason4  ,stand clear of  rashness1 and 
have nothing of insincerity or self-love
 to infect you4    #c4  ,manage all your
 thoughts and actions with such prudence
 and  circumspection as if you were     
sensible you were just going to step    
into  the grave4  ,a little thinking    

will show a man the vanity and          
uncertainty  of all sublunary things1   
and enable him to examine maturely the  
manner of  dying2 which1 if duly        
abstracted from the terror of the idea1 
will appear  nothing more than an       
unavoidable appendix of life itself1 and
 a pure  natural action4    #d4         
,consider that ill-usage from some sort 
of people is in a manner  necessary1 and
 therefore do not be disquieted about   
it1 but rather  conclude that you and   
your enemy are both marching off the    
stage  together1 and that in a little   
time your very memories will be         
extinguished4    #e4  ,among your       
principal observations upon human life1 
let it be always  one to take notice    
what a great deal both of time and ease 
that man gains  who is not troubled with
 the spirit of curiosity1 who lets his  
neighbours' affairs alone1 and confines 
his inspections to himself1 and  only   
takes care of honesty and a good        
conscience4    #f4  ,if you would live  

at your ease1 and as much as possible be
 free from  the incumbrances of life1   
manage but a few things at once1 and let
 those1  too1 be such as are absolutely 
necessary4  ,by this rule you will draw 
the  bulk of your business into a narrow
 compass1 and have the double pleasure  
of making your actions good1 and few    
into the bargain4    #g4  ,he that      
torments himself because things do not  
happen just as he  would have them1 is  
but a sort of ulcer in the world2 and he
 that is  selfish1 narrow-souled1 and   
sets up for a separate interest1 is a   
kind of  voluntary outlaw1 and          
disincorporates himself from mankind4   
#h4  ,never think anything below you    
which reason and your own  circumstances
 require1 and never suffer yourself to  
be deterred by the  ill-grounded notions
 of censure and reproach2 but when      
honesty and  conscience prompt you to   
say or do anything1 do it boldly2 never 
balk  your resolution or start at the   
consequence4    #i4  ,if a man does me  

an injury1 what is that to me8  ,it is  
his own  action1 and let him account for
 it4  ,as for me1 ,i am in my proper    
station1 and only doing the business    
that ,providence has allotted2 and      
withal1 ,i ought to consider that the   
best way to revenge1 is not to  imitate 
the injury4    #aj4  ,when you happen to
 be ruffled and put out of humour by any
 cross  accident1 retire immediately    
into your reason1 and do not suffer your
  passion to overrule you a moment2 for 
the sooner you recover yourself  now1   
the better you will be able to guard    
yourself for the future4    #aa4  ,do   
not be like those ill-natured people    
that1 though they do not  love to give a
 good word to their contemporaries1 yet 
are mighty fond of  their own           
commendations4  ,this argues a perverse 
and unjust temper1 and  often exposes   
the authors to scorn and contempt4      
#ab4  ,if any one convinces you of an   
error1 change your opinion and thank    
him for it3 truth and information are   

your business1 and can never hurt       
anybody4  ,on the contrary1 he that is  
proud and stubborn1 and wilfully        
continues in a mistake1 it is he that   
receives the mischief4    #ac4  ,because
 you see a thing difficult1 do not      
instantly conclude it to  be impossible 
to master it4  ,diligence and industry  
are seldom defeated4  ,look1 therefore1 
narrowly into the thing itself1 and what
 you observe  proper and practicable in 
another1 conclude likewise within your  
own  power4    #ad4  ,the principal     
business of human life is run through   
within the short  compass of twenty-four
 hours2 and when you have taken a       
deliberate view  of the present age1 you
 have seen as much as if you had begun  
with the  world1 the rest being nothing 
else but an endless round of the same   
thing  over and over again4    #ae4     
,bring your will to your fate1 and suit 
your mind to your  circumstances4  ,love
 your friends and forgive your enemies1 
and do  justice to all mankind1 and you 

will be secure to make your passage     
easy1  and enjoy most of the comforts   
human life is capable to afford you4    
#af4  ,when you have a mind to entertain
 yourself in your retirements1 let  it  
be with the good qualifications of your 
friends and acquaintance4  ,think with  
pleasure and satisfaction upon the      
honour and bravery of one1  the modesty 
of another1 the generosity of a third1  
and so on2 there being  nothing more    
pleasant and diverting than the lively  
images and the  advantages of those we  
love and converse with4    #ag4  ,as    
nothing can deprive you of the          
privileges of your nature1 or  compel   
you to act counter to your reason1 so   
nothing can happen to you  but what     
comes from ,providence1 and consists    
with the interest of the  universe4     
#ah4  ,let people's tongues and actions 
be what they will1 your business is  to 
have honour and honesty in your view4   
,let them rail1 revile1 censure1  and   
condemn1 or make you the subject of     

their scorn and ridicule1 what  does it 
all signify8  ,you have one certain     
remedy against all their  malice and    
folly1 and that is1 to live so that     
nobody shall believe them4    #ai4      
,alas1 poor mortals6 did we rightly     
consider our own state and  condition1  
we should find it would not be long     
before we have forgot all  the world1   
and to be even1 that all the world will 
have forgot us  likewise4    #bj4  ,he  
that would recommend himself to the     
public1 let him do it by the  candour   
and modesty of his behaviour1 and by a  
generous indifference to  external      
advantages4  ,let him love mankind1 and 
resign to ,providence1 and  then his    
works will follow him1 and his good     
actions will praise him in  the gate4   
#ba4  ,when you hear a discourse1 let   
your understanding1 as far as  possible1
 keep pace with it1 and lead you forward
 to those things which  fall most within
 the compass of your own observations4  
#bb4  ,when vice and treachery shall be 

rewarded1 and virtue and ability        
slighted and discountenanced2 when      
ministers of state shall rather fear    
man than ,god1 and to screen themselves 
run into parties and factions2  when    
noise and clamour1 and scandalous       
reports shall carry everything  before  
them1 it is natural to conclude that a  
nation in such a state of  infatuation  
stands upon the brink of destruction1   
and without the  intervention of some   
unforeseen accident1 must be inevitably 
ruined4    #bc4  ,when a prince is      
guarded by wise and honest men1 and when
 all public  officers are sure to be    
rewarded if they do well1 and punished  
if they do  evil1 the consequence is    
plain2 justice and honesty will         
flourish1 and  men will be always       
contriving1 not for themselves1 but for 
the honour and  interest of their king  
and country4    #bd4  ,wicked men may   
sometimes go unpunished in this world1  
but wicked  nations never do2 because   
this world is the only place of         

punishment of  wicked nations1 though   
not for private and particular persons4 
#be4  ,an administration that is merely 
founded upon human policy must be       
always subject to human chance2 but that
 which is founded on the divine  wisdom 
can no more miscarry than the government
 of heaven4  ,to govern by  parties and 
factions is the advice of an atheist1   
and sets up a  government by the spirit 
of ,satan4  ,in such a government the   
prince can  never be secure under the   
greatest promises1 since1 as men's      
interest  changes1 so will their duty   
and affections likewise4    #bf4  ,it is
 a very ancient observation1 and a very 
true one1 that people  generally despise
 where they flatter1 and cringe to those
 they design to  betray2 so that truth  
and ceremony are1 and always will be1   
two distinct  things4    #bg4  ,when you
 find your friend in an error1 undeceive
 him with secrecy  and civility1 and let
 him see his oversight first by hints   
and glances2  and if you cannot convince

 him1 leave him with respect1 and lay   
the fault  upon your own management4    
#bh4  ,when you are under the greatest  
vexations1 then consider that human     
life lasts but for a moment2 and do not 
forget but that you are like the  rest  
of the world1 and faulty yourself in    
many instances2 and withal1  remember   
that anger and impatience often prove   
more mischievous than the  provocation4 
#bi4  ,gentleness and good humour are   
invincible1 provided they are without   
hypocrisy and design2 they disarm the   
most barbarous and savage tempers1  and 
make even malice ashamed of itself4     
#cj4  ,in all the actions of life let it
 be your first and principal care  to   
guard against anger on the one hand1 and
 flattery on the other1 for  they are   
both unserviceable qualities1 and do a  
great deal of mischief in  the          
government of human life4    #ca4  ,when
 a man turns knave or libertine1 and    
gives way to fear1  jealousy1 and fits  
of the spleen2 when his mind complains  

of his fortune1  and he quits the       
station in which ,providence has placed 
him1 he acts  perfectly counter to      
humanity1 deserts his own nature1 and1  
as it were1  runs away from himself4    
#cb4  ,be not heavy in business1        
disturbed in conversation1 nor          
impertinent  in your thoughts4  ,let    
your judgment be right1 your actions    
friendly1 and  your mind contented2 let 
them curse you1 threaten you1 or despise
 you2  let them go on2 they can never   
injure your reason or your virtue1 and  
then all the rest that they can do to   
you signifies nothing4    #cc4  ,the    
only pleasure of human life is doing the
 business of the  creation2 and which   
way is that to be compassed very easily8
  ,most  certainly by the practice of   
general kindness1 by rejecting the      
importunity of our senses1 by           
distinguishing truth from falsehood1 and
 by  contemplating the works of the     
,almighty4    #cd4  ,be sure to mind    
that which lies before you1 whether it  

be thought1  word1 or action2 and never 
postpone an opportunity1 or make virtue 
wait  for you till to-morrow4    #ce4   
,whatever tends neither to the          
improvement of your reason nor the      
benefit of society1 think it below you2 
and when you have done any  considerable
 service to mankind1 do not lessen it by
 your folly in gaping  after reputation 
and requital4    #cf4  ,when you find   
yourself sleepy in a morning1 rouse     
yourself1 and  consider that you are    
born to business1 and that in doing good
 in your  generation1 you answer your   
character and act like a man2 whereas   
sleep  and idleness do but degrade you1 
and sink you down to a brute4    #cg4   
,a mind that has nothing of hope1 or    
fear1 or aversion1 or desire1 to  weaken
 and disturb it1 is the most impregnable
 security4  ,hither we may  with safety 
retire and defy our enemies2 and he that
 sees not this  advantage must be       
extremely ignorant1 and he that forgets 
it unhappy4    #ch4  ,do not disturb    

yourself about the faults of other      
people1 but let  everybody's crimes be  
at their own door4  ,have always this   
great maxim in  your remembrance1 that  
to play the knave is to rebel against   
religion2  all sorts of injustice being 
no less than high treason against       
,heaven  itself4    #ci4  ,do not       
contemn death1 but meet it with a decent
 and religious  fortitude1 and look upon
 it as one of those things which        
,providence has  ordered4  ,if you want 
a cordial to make the apprehensions of  
dying go  down a little the more easily1
 consider what sort of world and what   
sort  of company you will part with4    
,to conclude1 do but look seriously into
  the world1 and there you will see     
multitudes of people preparing for      
funerals1 and mourning for their friends
 and acquaintances2 and look out  again 
a little afterwards1 and you will see   
others doing the very same  thing for   
them4    #dj4  ,in short1 men are but   
poor transitory things4  ,to-day they   

are busy  and harassed with the affairs 
of human life2 and to-morrow life itself
 is  taken from them1 and they are      
returned to their original dust and     
ashes4          ,,part ,,iii            
,containing prophetic observations      
relating to the affairs of ,europe and  
of ,great ,britain1 more particularly   
from #agbj to #agbi4    #a4  ,in the    
latter end of #agbj1 an eminent old lady
 shall bring forth five  sons at a      
birth2 the youngest shall live and grow 
up to maturity1 but the  four eldest    
shall either die in the nursery1 or be  
all carried off by one  sudden and      
unexpected accident4    #b4  ,about this
 time a man with a double head shall    
arrive in ,britain from  the south4     
,one of these heads shall deliver       
messages of great importance  to the    
governing party1 and the other to the   
party that is opposite to  them4  ,the  
first shall believe the monster1 but the
 last shall discover  the impostor1 and 
so happily disengage themselves from a  

snare that was  laid to destroy them and
 their posterity4  ,after this the two  
heads shall  unite1 and the monster     
shall appear in his proper shape4    #c4
  ,in the year #agba1 a philosopher from
 ,lower ,germany shall come1 first  to  
,amsterdam in ,holland1 and afterwards  
to ,london4  ,he will bring with  him a 
world of curiosities1 and among them a  
pretended secret for the  transmutation 
of metals4  ,under the umbrage of this  
mighty secret he  shall pass upon the   
world for some time2 but at length he   
shall be  detected1 and proved to be    
nothing but an empiric and a cheat1 and 
so  forced to sneak off1 and leave the  
people he has deluded1 either to  bemoan
 their loss1 or laugh at their own      
folly4  ,n4,b4--,this will be the  last 
of his sect that will ever venture in   
this part of the world upon  the same   
errand4    #d4  ,in this year great     
endeavours will be used for procuring a 
general  peace1 which shall be so near a
 conclusion that public rejoicings shall

  be made at the courts of several great
 potentates upon that account2 but  just
 in the critical juncture1 a certain    
neighbouring prince shall come  to a    
violent death1 which shall occasion new 
war and commotion all over  ,europe2 but
 these shall continue but for a short   
time1 and at last  terminate in the     
utter destruction of the first          
aggressors4    #e4  ,towards the close  
of this year of mysteries1 a person that
 was born  blind shall have his sight   
restored1 and shall see ravens perch    
upon the  heads of traitors1 among which
 the head of a notorious prelate shall  
stand upon the highest pole4    #f4  ,in
 the year #agbb1 there shall be a grand 
congress1 and new overtures  of peace   
offered by most of the principal parties
 concerned in the war1  which shall have
 so good effect that a cessation of arms
 shall be agreed  upon for six months1  
which shall be kept inviolable till a   
certain  general1 either through        
treachery or inadvertency1 shall begin  

hostilities before the expiration of the
 term2 upon which the injured  prince   
shall draw his sword1 and throw the     
scabbard into the sea1 vowing  never to 
return it till he shall obtain          
satisfaction for himself1 and  done     
justice to all that were oppressed4     
#g4  ,at the close of this year1 a      
famous bridge shall be broken down1 and 
the water that runs under it shall be   
tinctured with the blood of two         
notorious malefactors1 whose unexpected 
death shall make mighty  alterations in 
the present state of affairs1 and put a 
stop to the ruin  of a nation1 which    
must otherwise have been unavoidable4   
#h4  #agbc begins with plots1           
conspiracies1 and intestine commotions  
in  several countries2 nor shall ,great 
,britain itself be free from the        
calamity4  ,these shall continue till a 
certain young prince shall take  the    
reins of government into his own hands2 
and after that1 a marriage  shall be    
proposed1 and an alliance concluded     

between two great  potentates1 who shall
 join their forces1 and endeavour1 in   
good earnest1  to set all matters upon a
 right foundation4    #i4  ,this year   
several cardinals and prelates shall be 
publicly censured  for heretical        
principles1 and shall narrowly escape   
from being torn to  pieces by the common
 people1 who still look upon them as the
 grand  disturbers of public            
tranquillity1 perfect incendiaries1 and 
the chief  promoters of their former1   
present1 and future calamities4    #aj4 
,in #agbd-e there will be many treaties 
and negociations1 and ,great  ,britain1 
particularly1 will be crowded with      
foreign ministers and  ambassadors from 
remote princes and states4  ,trade and  
commerce will  begin to flourish and    
revive1 and everything will have a      
comfortable  prospect1 until some       
desperadoes1 assisted by a monster with 
many heads1  shall start new            
difficulties1 and put the world again   
into a flame2 but  these shall be but of

 short duration4    #aa4  ,before the   
expiration of #agbe1 an eagle from the  
north shall fly  directly to the south1 
and perch upon the palace of a prince1  
and first  unravel the bloody projects  
and designs of a wicked set of people1  
and  then publicly discover the murder  
of a great king1 and the intended       
assassination of another greater than   
he4    #ab4  ,in #agbf1 three princes   
will be born that will grow up to be    
men1 and  inherit the crowns of three of
 the greatest monarchies in ,europe4    
#ac4  ,about this time the pope will    
die1 and after a great many intrigues   
and struggles1 a ,spanish cardinal shall
 be elected1 who shall decline the      
dignity1 and declare his marriage with a
 great lady1 heiress of one of  the     
chief principalities in ,italy1 which   
may occasion new troubles in  ,europe1  
if not timely prevented4    #ad4  ,in   
#agbg1 new troubles shall break out in  
the north1 occasioned by  the sudden    
death of a certain prince1 and the      

avarice and ambition of  another4  ,poor
 ,poland seems to be pointed at2 but the
 princes of the  south shall enter into 
a confederacy to preserve her1 and shall
 at length  restore her peace1 and      
prevent the perpetual ruin of her       
constitution4    #ae4  ,great endeavours
 will be used about this time for a     
comprehension in  religion1 supported by
 crafty and designing men1 and a party  
of mistaken  zealots1 which they shall  
artfully draw in to join with them2 but 
as the  project is ill-concerted1 and   
will be worse managed1 it will come to  
nothing2 and soon afterwards an         
effectual mode will be taken to prevent 
the like attempt for the future4    #af4
 #agbh will be a year of inquiry and    
retrospection4  ,many exorbitant  grants
 will be reassumed1 and several persons 
who thought themselves  secure will be  
called before the senate1 and compelled 
to disgorge what  they have unjustly    
pillaged either from the crown or the   
public4    #ag4  ,about this time a new 

scaffold will be erected upon the       
confines of  a certain great city1 where
 an old count of a new extraction1 that 
has  been of all parties and true to    
none1 will be doomed by his peers to    
make  his first appearance4  ,after this
 an old lady who has often been exposed 
to danger and disgrace1 and sometimes   
brought to the very brink of            
destruction1 will be brought to bed of  
three daughters at once1 which  they    
shall call ,plenty1 ,peace1 and ,union2 
and these three shall live and  grow up 
together1 be the glory of their mother1 
and the comfort of  posterity for many  
generations4    99 99 99 99 99    ,this 
is the substance of what he either writ 
or extracted from his papers  in the    
interval between the loss of his speech 
and the return of his fit1  which       
happened exactly at the time he had     
computed4    ,upon the approach of his  
fit1 he made signs to be put to bed1    
which was  no sooner done but he was    
seized with extreme agonies1 which he   

bore up  under with the greatest        
steadfastness1 and after a severe       
conflict1 that  lasted near eight hours1
 he expired4    ,thus lived and thus    
died this extraordinary person2 a       
person1 though of  mean extraction and  
obscure life1 yet when his character    
comes to be  fully and truly known1 it  
will be read with pleasure1 profit1 and 
admiration4    ,his perfections at large
 would be the work of a volume1 and     
inconsistent  with the intention of     
these papers4  ,i will1 therefore1 only 
add1 for a  conclusion1 that he was a   
man of uncommon thought and judgment1   
and  always kept his appetites and      
inclinations within their just limits4  
,his reason was strong and manly1 his   
understanding sound and active1 and  his
 temper so easy1 equal1 and complaisant1
 that he never fell out1  either with   
men or accidents4  ,he bore all things  
with the highest  affability1 and       
computed justly upon their value and    
consequence1 and  then applied them to  

their proper uses4          ,a ,,letter 
,,from ,,oxford      ,sir1    ,being    
informed that you speedily intend to    
publish some memoirs relating  to our   
dumb countryman1 ,dickory ,cronke1 ,i   
send you herewith a few lines1  in the  
nature of an elegy1 which ,i leave you  
to dispose of as you think  fit4  ,i    
knew and admired the man2 and if ,i were
 capable1 his character  should be the  
first thing ,i would attempt4    ,yours4
 c4        ,,an ,,elegy1  ,,in ,,memory 
,,of ,,dickory ,,cronke1  ,,the ,,dumb  
,,philosopher4         ,vitiis nemo sine
 nascitur2 optimus ille est1     ,qui   
minimus urgetur4--,,horace4    ,if      
virtuous actions emulation raise1  ,then
 this good man deserves immortal praise4
  ,when nature such extensive wisdom    
lent1  ,she sure designed him for our   
precedent4  ,such great endowments in a 
man unknown1  ,declare the blessings    
were not all his own2  ,but rather      
granted for a time to show  ,what the   
wise hand of ,providence can do4  ,in   

him we may a bright example see  ,of    
nature1 justice1 and morality2  ,a mind 
not subject to the frowns of fate1  ,but
 calm and easy in a servile state4  ,he 
always kept a guard upon his will  ,and 
feared no harm because he knew no ill4  
,a decent posture and an humble mien1   
,in every action of his life were seen4 
,through all the different stages that  
he went1  ,he still appeared both wise  
and diligent3  ,firm to his word1 and   
punctual to his trust1  ,sagacious1     
frugal1 arable1 and just4  ,no gainful  
views his bounded hopes could sway1  ,no
 wanton thought led his chaste soul     
astray4  ,in short1 his thoughts and    
actions both declare1  ,nature designed 
him her philosopher2  ,that all mankind1
 by his example taught1  ,might learn to
 live1 and manage every thought4  ,oh6  
could my muse the wondrous subject      
grace1  ,and1 from his youth1 his       
virtuous actions trace2  ,could ,i in   
just and equal numbers tell  ,how well  
he lived1 and how devoutly fell1  ,i    

boldly might your strict attention      
claim1  ,and bid you learn1 and copy out
 the man4    ,j4 ,p4    ,exeter         
,college1 ,august #beth1 #agai4         
,,epitaph      ,the occasion of this    
epitaph was briefly thus3--,a gentleman1
 who had  heard much in commendation of 
this dumb man1 going accidentally to the
  churchyard where he was buried1 and   
finding his grave without a  tombstone1 
or any manner of memorandum of his      
death1 he pulled out his  pencil1 and   
writ as follows3--       ,,pauper       
,,ubique ,,jacet4       ,near to this   
lonely unfrequented place1     ,mixed   
with the common dust1 neglected lies    
,the man that every muse should strive  
to grace1     ,and all the world should 
for his virtue prize4     ,stop1 gentle 
passenger1 and drop a tear1     ,truth1 
justice1 wisdom1 all lie buried here4   
,what1 though he wants a monumental     
stone1     ,the common pomp of every    
fool or knave1     ,those virtues which 
through all his actions shone           

,proclaim his worth1 and praise him in  
the grave4     ,his merits will a bright
 example give1     ,which shall both    
time and envy too outlive4       ,oh1   
had ,i power but equal to my mind1      
,a decent tomb should soon this place   
adorn1     ,with this inscription3 ,lo1 
here lies confined     ,a wondrous man1 
although obscurely born2     ,a man1    
though dumb1 yet he was nature's care1  
,who marked him out her own philosopher4