“That is equally easy of explanation. I wish to convey the idea, that many children shall call those fathers, who are not so; and shall have fathers whom they will never discover.” He would have departed, after explaining these two prophecies; but I stopped him, entreating him only to tell me the meaning of this last:— “‘Before another year is born, Many a goose quill shall be worn; Many a quill the ether bear, Many a man shall dance in air; Men shall sorely rue the attack, Of grey goose quill and Doctor Quack; Merchants be in bankrupt plight, Nobles turn to blackguards quite; Province, city, town, and village, Soon shall soldiers sack and pillage; Lads and lasses soon shall try, What darkness hides from every eye; No more shall widows’ weeds endure; The cloister virgins shall immure.’” “That signifies,” said Nostradamus, who was in haste to depart, “that one half of the world shall pillage the other; the people of justice shall rob by their pen; false witnesses will support themselves by hanging upon their skirts; the physicians will kill with physic, and be well paid for it; the merchants thrive by bankruptcy; nobles shall be ruined by their stewards; the soldiers will lay all under contribution; children shall rob one another; widows contract new nuptials, and to enjoy the portions of their daughters, make nuns of them. Let go!”—and he hastily left me. I then perceived before me a good old man, of a very sad aspect, who demanded if I was dead? “No,” answered I; “living, and at your service.” “Good!” said he; “I expect a favour of you. You must know, I am called _They_. I also bear the appellation of _Somebody_, of _Another_, of a _certain Personage_, of _Author_, and of _I know who_. While I lived in the world, I was accused of having said and done every thing which could not be traced: if a false report was circulated, it was _they_ who had broached it: if any one was found assassinated in the high way, it was _they_ who had killed him: if there was a man with a bad face, this was _somebody_: if it was imprudent to name a person in an affair, they called him _a certain person_: if a writer advanced bold things, this was an _author_, who had spoken on the first impression: and, finally, when the author was entirely concealed, it was _I know who_, that had said or acted thus and so. All this time I neither said nor did any thing; I appeared no where; I knew not what passed, and kept house both day and night; the chagrin of seeing myself in so bad repute, fairly put an end to my existence. I demand, therefore, of you, to vindicate me to your friends, and those persons over whom you have any influence, that they may not in future charge me with any thing; for, since I am dead, I can of course have nothing more to do with the world.”