Prophecies -- Humor -- Early works to 1800

[“Predictions for the Year 1708; Original in English by Isaac Bickerstaff, an English nobleman. Translated into German and printed in the year 1708.”] The first of the "Bickerstaff tracts" in which Swift satirizes astrology and almanacs, in particular the cobbler-astrologer John Partridge. The predictions in his almanac (Merlinus liberatus) were intended to prevent the people of England from being further imposed on by vulgar almanac makers, and to expose the impostor astrologists who claimed knowledge they did not possess. Proceeds to list people believed will die in a specific month and day, predicts an uprising in Dauphine due to the oppression of the people, a storm that will destroy many ships off the coast of France, and other sundry accidents, deaths, and births. “Isaac Bickerstaff” was the pseudonym for Jonathan Swifte; his predictions in this text were intended to “prevent the people of England from being further imposed on by vulgar almanac makers”, and to expose the imposter astrologists who claimed knowledge they did not possess. He then proceeds to list people he believes will die in a specific month and day, he predicts an uprising in Dauphine due to the oppression of the people, a storm that will destroy many ships off the coast of France, and other sundry accidents, deaths, and births.