Social England under the Regency, Vol. 2 (of 2)

On the appearance of her first prophecies, the Methodist preachers, already adverted to, endeavoured to convince her of the diabolical nature of her doings, and attributed them to Satan himself. She then appointed an interview with as many as might choose to attend, in order to put the question at rest. The discussion was warm, but it ended in all present signing the following document: —

"I, Joanna Southcott, am clearly convinced that my calling is of God, and my writings are indited by His Spirit, as it is impossible for any Spirit, but an All-wise God, that is wondrous in working, wondrous in power, wondrous in truth, could have brought round such mysteries, so full of truth, as is in my writings; so I am clear in whom I have believed, that my writings came from the Spirit of the most high God.

"Joanna Southcott."

From this time her converts increased surprisingly, so that she could not furnish seals sufficient to answer all demands. The sealed papers contained a text of Scripture (not uniformly the same), promissory of beatitude hereafter, and the envelope was stamped with the seal found in the upholsterer's shop. The sealed person was forbidden to open the paper lest the charm should be destroyed.

She came to London, at the invitation of Sharp the engraver, and then she began deluding her followers that she was the destined mother of the Messiah, who would be born on October 19, 1814. Her personal appearance favoured the appearance that she was in an "interesting condition," but after her death it was found she was suffering from dropsy. Large sums of money were subscribed towards the expense of her accouchement, and a most expensive cradle was provided. The time passed by, but no Shiloh, and she died on December 29, 1814, and was buried in the churchyard attached to St. John's Chapel, St. John's Wood; her deluded followers believing for long after that she would rise again, and come among them.

There are many satirical prints respecting this impostor, but I do not care to reproduce any of them, as they are either too silly or too coarse.

1

The Corn Bill passed the Commons on the 10th of March, and the Lords on the 20th.

2

Lambeth Street, Whitechapel, removed to Arbour Square, Stepney, and now called the Thames Police Office.

3

From this time until Napoleon sailed for St. Helena, I quote, sometimes at length, from my book, "English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I.," because I then wrote, thoroughly imbued with the subject, and with every authority at hand – I can do no more now, than to add a little to it. – J. A.

4

This title was never recognized by the French Nation until the assumption of Imperial dignity by Louis – under the title of Napoleon III.

5

General Gourgaud.

6

A measure of about one hundred fathoms. In all marine charts a Cable is deemed 607.56 feet, or one-tenth of a Sea Mile.

7

"A Visit to Bonaparte in Plymouth Sound," by a Lady. Plymouth, 1815.

8

Mackerel.

9

"Interesting Particulars of Napoleon's Deportation for Life to St. Helena," &c. London, 1816. Printed for W. Hone.

10

By George Colman the Younger.

11

I.e., the midshipmen who took female parts.

12

Transported.

13

Shaw the Lifeguardsman.

14

Battle of Waterloo.

15

Cowardice.

16

Of course, now-a-days we can hardly understand this; but the old tubs used to take their time then. – It is recorded in the "Annual Register" of 1815, as follows: "16 December. – A vessel is arrived in the Thames from New South Wales after an extraordinarily short passage of less than five months."

17

It took longer, vide this extract from The Globe, March 18, 1889: – "A Tardy Honour. – Captain Gammell is 92. It is only within the last ten days that he has received an honour which he won nearly three-quarters of a century ago. As Ensign James Gammell he was present at the sortie of Bayonne, and leaving the army shortly afterwards never applied for the medal. At last Captain Gammell has found himself decorated with two – one the Jubilee medal, accompanied by a letter from Sir Henry Ponsonby on behalf of the Queen; the other the Peninsular medal, with the clasp for the Nive, forwarded by the Duke of Cambridge. It is never too late to decorate a gallant man, and Colonel Balguy, who has been active in this matter, is to be congratulated upon the success which his efforts have attained."

18

The Regent was then meditating taking proceedings for a divorce from his wife.

19

In May, 1816, he was made a General in the British army, and afterwards Field Marshal.

20

This gentleman will be noticed in matters theatrical.

21

Lord Yarmouth.

22

A rough-and-ready way of loading guns, before Cartridges and Breech loaders were introduced, was by measuring out so many bowls of a Tobacco pipe full of powder and shot.

23

From Bow Street.

24

Hunt must have known he was lying, for George Canning was born in London in 1770. His family was originally of Foxcote, in Warwickshire, and one of his ancestors had emigrated to Ireland, at the commencement of the seventeenth century, as agent of a company of Londoners in the plantation of Ulster, and settled at Garvagh, in the county of Londonderry. His father, George Canning, who had been educated for the bar, to which he was called by the Society of the Middle Temple, having offended his parents by marrying a lady inferior to him both in rank and fortune, was cut off by them with a pittance of £150 per annum. Finding himself thus discarded by his family, who possessed considerable property in Ireland, he left that country, and removed with his wife to London, where, after unavailing efforts to enlarge the means of subsistence, he died broken-hearted, in a year after the birth of his son.

25

Hereford House.

26

Mat o' the Mint was a character in Gay's Beggar's Opera.

27

Cole or Coal is thieves' slang for money, and many people carry a piece of Coal in their pocket, under the belief that so long as they have Cole in their pocket they will never want for money.

28

Hon. Sec., Miss M. Lyall, 14, Nottingham Place, W.

29

Probably Matthew Buchinger, who died 1722.

30

A trip to Brighton, say a little over fifty miles, is recorded to have been done in nine hours.

31

"O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us,To see oursels as others see us!"

32

My italics. – J. A.

33

Italics are mine. – J. A.

34

Spectator, No. 130.

35

"Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne," by John Ashton.

36

Isaac Walton says, "Now let's go to an honest alehouse where we may have a cup of good barley wine, and sing 'Old Rose,' and all of us rejoice together." And we get a presumed explanation of the Song in The British Apollo (1708-9).

37

The East India College.