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Whether this woman is an arch impostor, or really conceives herself to be that which she pretends, is of little consequence to the community at large: her tenets have certainly fascinated many thousands; and such being the fact, she is a dangerous member of society, and ought to be subjected to such punition as would either compel her to own her hypocrisy, or bring her to a just sense of the delusion under which she labours, for

Nihil in speciem fallacius, quam prava religio, ubi deorum numen prætenditur sceleribus.

Nothing has a more deceiving face than false religion, where devotion is pretended by the wicked.

Johanna Southcote, however, is not the only female who has deceived personages reputed for their wisdom and sanctity; since in Fuller's Church History, book v. p. 187, speaking of Sir Thomas More's belief in the Maid of Kent, he says, “I am heartily sorry that the gravity of John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, should be so light, and the sharp sight of Sir Thomas More so blinde, as to give credit to so notorious an Impostrix, which plunged them both into the King's deep displeasure.” As for Elizabeth Barton, soon after, she was executed with many of her complices and complotters. The papists at this day, unable to defend her forgery, and unwilling to confess her cheating, seek to salve all by pleading her to be distracted. Thus, if succeeding she had been praised (and perchance canonized) for her devotion; now failing, she must be pardoned and pitied for her distraction.

As the following instances of individuals disseminating novel doctrines are not generally known, I shall subjoin them for the amusement and information of the reader.

Quirinus Kuhlman, a native of Breslau, who broached his extravagant opinions in the seventeenth century, is but little known. At the age of eighteen he thought himself inspired by a divine “afflatus,” which formed itself always around his head like a globe of light. His genius was by no means inconsiderable: he wrote “Prodromus Quinquennii mirabilis,” and prepared for the press “Le clef de l'Eternite et du Tems.” In order to establish his doctrines, he roamed through Britain, Italy, and the East: he made few proselytes, but still wandered unmolested. In 1689, however, his good fortune forsook him, for having disseminated some heterodox dogmas in Russia, the priests of that country made him expiate his heresies at the stake.

Gonzales Baudara, a cobler of Lisbon, in 1540, had nearly ended his days at the stake, under a sentence of the Inquisition, for uttering absurd predictions. By a singular revolution in human affairs it so happened, that a century afterwards, when the House of Braganza rose to the throne of Portugal, some of this cobler's fanatic effusions were judged to have pointed out clearly the events which had then so recently happened; and thus the memory of a man, who had with difficulty escaped the flames as an impostor, was after death honoured as an inspired prophet.

None of the rhapsodies of this modern enthusiast have ever surpassed the tale narrated in the following effusion, which is literally translated from a Latin breviary; printed by command of Pope Pius V. at Antwerp, in 1677.

“The holy brother, Philip Nerio, deeply affected by zeal towards the Supreme Being, lived in a perpetual languor; and his heart burnt with such ardor, that when it could not be contained within its proper bounds, the Creator most wonderfully enlarged its sphere of action, by breaking and raising up two of his ribs. Sometimes, when performing his holy duties, or fervently praying, he was visibly lifted from the ground, and appeared to shine with a wondrous brightness. The poor and the needy he relieved with universal charity: he was even thought worthy of bestowing alms on an angel, who condescended to receive them in the figure of an indigent person; and once, when carrying provisions to the poor, he had stumbled into a pitfall, he was delivered safe from danger by the interposition of that heavenly being. Humble in his nature, he ever avoided honours, and with constancy refused the first ecclesiastic dignities, which were unsolicitedly pressed upon him.”

The rhapsodical nonsense of this woman being communicated to her disciples through the medium of pictorial representations, the ensuing statements will tend to show the different light in which the puritans were led to regard all subjects of this nature.

The following votes are extracted from the Journals of the House of Commons, bearing date July 23, 1645.

Ordered, that all such pictures and statutes there (York House), as are without any superstition, shall be forthwith sold, for the benefit of Ireland and the North.

Ordered, that all such pictures there, as have the representation of the Second Person in the Trinity upon them, shall be forthwith burnt.

Ordered, that all such pictures there, as have the representation of the Virgin Mary upon them, shall be forthwith burut.

The gross and impudent delusion of this woman's pregnancy seems nearly at an end. The most besotted of her followers begin to be sensible of the contempt which they incur; and we suspect that sagacious and acute accoucheur, Dr. Reece, by this time, wishes that the venerable virgin had lain-in time enough to establish his professional talents. Whether Johanna be a rank impostor, a wretched idiot, or a deplorable lunatic, it is difficult to say; but there can be no difficulty in affirming that all her proselytes are fools. We understand one of her followers was detected in negociating for a young Shiloh, down in Wiltshire, with a poor woman who had twins. Surely Dr. Reece ought to help her to a babe, to save his own credit.