1023 
-the unlimited toleration shewn to 
Jews, Gentiles, and Heretics of 
every description,—above all if we 
remember that every person has the 
power of comparing these delusive 
books with the Bible. of which they 
are instrucied to consider themselves 
competent expounders,—we must 
acknowledge that there never was 
any country so favourable to the suc- 
cess of imposture and the growth of 
superstition, as this very age and 
this very England. 
I have to add concerning Joanna, 
that she prophecies how she and her 
believers are to be tried in the en- 
suing year, and that this awful trial 
will be only second to that of 
our blessed Lord at Pilate’s bar! 
What new juggle is in. prepara- 
tion I pretend not to divine. Thus 
much is certain, that her believ- 
ers are proof against conviction, 
and you will agree with me in think- 
ing no further trial necessary to 
prove thatshe and her abettors ought 
either to be punished as impostors, 
or silenced as lunatics, 
The translator has been curious 
enough to inquire the event of this 
trial, which may be related in few 
words. None but her believers as- 
sembled ; they provided an attorney 
to give their proceedings some of the 
ceremonials of legality, examined 
witnesses to prove the good charac- 
ter of the prophetess, signed a pro- 
fession in belief of her,—and after- 
‘wards published an account of all 
this folly under the title of The Trial 
of Joanna Southcott. Joanna had 
predicted that at this trial she was 
to be cast into a trance; not think- 
ing this convenient when the time 
appointed came, she had a revelation 
to say, thatif any of her judges re- 
quired it, the Lord would still en- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
trance her, but that it would cer- 
tainly be her death: and thus throw- 
ing herseli upon the mercy of her 
own accomplices, it will easily be 
guessed that none amoung them in- 
sisted npon the proof. One of the 
compauy inquired whether Satan 
knew he was cast by this trial; as, 
in that case, it was to be presumed 
he would rage against her and her 
friends with the utmost of his fury. 
This gentleman would have been a 
good subject for a night-mare. . 
D. Manuel might well say that 
nothing but literal transcript could 
convey an idea of this woman’s vul- 
garity and nonsense ; witness the 
passages which he has selected.—T Rr. 
So, learned men, no more contend, 
Till you have seen all clear, 
The Woman clothed with the Sun 
A wonder to you here. 
So, in amaze, you all may gaze, 
As Adam did at first, 
To see the bone to him unknown, 
The woman there was placed. 
‘The woe you see, she brought on he, 
And the first woe for man ;— 
But how shall Satan now get free, 
She casts her woe on man,— 
Though ’twas not she, I must tell ye, 
Did cast the woe on man; 
The serpent was condemned by she, 
And there her woe must come. 
It is speaking within compass to 
say, that she has sent into the world 
above twenty thousand of such 
verses as these, as the dictates of the 
Spirit ! 
What follows is in the words of 
one of her chosen disciptes :—** On 
Monday morning Joanna received a 
letter from Exeter, which informed 
her she would have Mr, Jones’s an- 
swer about Mr. Pomeroy in the . 
evening ; and her fears for him 
flung her into a violent agitation ; 
every nerve in her shook, and she 
fell 
