Isaac Bickerstaff, Physician and Astrologer

Isaac Bickerstaff (Astrologer and Physician) was authored by Irish writer, playwright, and politician Sir Richard Steele, and co-authored by English essayist, poet, playwright and politician Joseph Addison, and originally published with an introduction by Henry Morley in 1887.

Isaac Bickerstaff Esq was a pseudonym created by Jonathan Swift as part of a hoax to predict the death of famous Almanac-maker and astrologer John Partridge. In 1709, Richard Steele decided to boost the release of his new paper The Tatler by naming the fictitious Isaac Bickerstaff Esq. as editor. Bickerstaff became the main personality of The Tatler, having occasional contributions from Swift, it was largely written by Steele and Addison, they proceeded to develop the astrologer into a central character, who gave life and unity to his whole series of essays. This work is a series of musings and diary entries from the fictional Bickerstaff.