w they did in those old times: this same Ben Jonson
has made every one's passion in this play be towards money, and yet not
one of them expresses that desire, or endeavours to obtain it any way
but what is peculiar to him only: one sacrifices his wife, another his
profession, another his posterity from the same motive; but their
characters are kept so skilfully apart, that it seems prodigious their
discourses should rise from the invention of the same author. But the
poets are a nest of hornets, and I'll drive these thoughts no farther,
but must mention some hard treatment I am like to meet with from my
brother-writers. I am credibly informed, that the author of a play,
called, "Love in a Hollow Tree,"[250] has made some remarks upon my late
discourse on "The Naked Truth."[251] I cannot blame a gentleman for
writing against any error; it is for the good of the learned world. But
I would have the thing fairly left between us two, and not under the
protection of patrons. But my intelligence is, that he has dedicated his
treatise to the Honourable Mr. Ed----d H----rd.[252]

From my own Apartment, May 27.

"_To Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq._

"York, May 16, 1709.

"SIR,

"Being convinced as the whole world is, how infallible your predictions
are, and having the honour to be your near relation, of the Staffian
family, I was under great concern at one of your predictions relating to
yourself, wherein you foretold your own death would happen on the 17th
instant, unless it were prevented by the assistance of well-disposed
people:[253] I have therefore prevailed on my own modesty to send you a
piece of news, which may serve instead of Goddard's Drops,[254] to keep
you alive for two days, till nature be able to recover itself, or till
you meet with some better help from other hands. Therefore, without
further ceremony, I will go on to relate a singular adventure just
happened in the place where I am writing, wherein it may be highly
useful for the public to be informed.[255]

"Three young ladies of our town were on Saturday last indicted for
witchcraft. The witnesses against the first deposed upon oath before
Justice Bindover, that she kept spirits locked up in velvets, which
sometimes appeared in flames of blue fire; that she used magical herbs,
with some of which she drew in hundreds of men daily to her, who went
out from her presence all inflamed, their mouths parched, and a hot
steam issuing from them, attended with a grie