The National Register.
London, England, 1815-01-15 00:00:00

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" Oo Tiegiriday I plod another visit to the remnants of Joanna.
The body was thin lwginning to be offensive, ber lips and. fingers
fm andaanimed a black appearance, but even this change did not shake
tt.e Nide of her followers, and I was. obliged seriously to address
Sharp,, stating that putreliction had actually began to lake
and, if continued, it would be to no purpose to open the body.
To this he replied, rather sharply. do not be uneasy, you will not
seder by it, for depend upon it she will m churn to the body.' My
-answer was, that if they thought so, they should endeavour to keep
it sweet for her reception, far should the ceremony of her marriage
in Heftiest continue two days longer, the tenement would not be
habitable on her return. Well then, said he, the greater will be
the miracle. The God that raisedsip Lazarus will raise her up, and
dad lie would do so he had not the smallest doubt. The.evil, I re-
tilled, in this case finds its own remedy, f.er in two or three days she
ma ill stink you all out of the house. Colonel Harwood informed me,
that several medical men lied called and inspected the body, who
agreed in opinion of lies being dead, except Dr. Sims, who would
not speak decisively from her warmth, so that es eu on the question
of death we could not agree.
.
" On the day of her death, the news of Peace with America arri
vet! from France. This event inspired her followers with fresh
emmfidence. 'Do you not think,' said one of them, it is a most
curious circumstance, oh! if you did not see that God is about to
do a great walk. you insist be blind indeed ! ! ! In the course of
Tuesday I called again, for the purpose of informing the attendants
1 would decline opening the body if they would 'mot consent to it on
time feilowieg day. I saw an this occasion Mr. Sharpe, and Colonel
Harwood, w lin considered the time would not be expired till the
tullaa nig mottling at tour o'clock, according Ur her dying iejmine-
sioes, making four days from her death, after that tissue I was at
libeity they said to open the body. On this, I appointed two
o'clock next day, when the Colonel informed me be would himself
Hempumint the medical gentlemen who were appointed to attend Mrs:
tiontlicott. lie requested to know the names of the medical gen-
Ilenmeu I intended to introduce, when I gave dif names of Messrs.
Clarke, Want, Caton. and Meeclowl.--The disciples in attendance
vele equally sanguine in the idea of her rising again. She is not
dead, but sleepeth. seemed to be the opinion of the whole. Its per-
fOrming the disaectioo, it was requested by Mr. Tozer, that would
conduct it in the seine manner as the Ctesarian operation, that all
• hopes of resuscitation might not he destroyed ! To this request I
replied, that certainly the same power that could raise a putrid body
could raise one that had been opened. His next request was, that
I would take care of the child, for he and all the disciples were
• fully confident, if Joanna was not raised before opening the body,
the child would be found on dissection.
" The following day, a quarter of an hour before the time ap-
pointed, I arrived at Mrs. s.'s, in orderto prepaie the body for the
operation, but I was not permitted to touch it till the expiration of
the hour, hanging as it were with a fond and eager hope to the last
moment, in the cherished expects' ion of her rising again. At the
appointed hour of two the medical gentlemen were punctual in their
attendance, viz. Dr. Adams, Dr. Sims, Messrs. Taunton. Clarke,
Want, Caton. Mathias, Cook, and several others whose names I
• was not acquainted with. ['then went with some of the disciples to
the apartment where the body was lying, and I was surprised to find
her exactly in the same situation as when she died, lying in bed,
amid covered with flannel, with her wearing apparel, her rings, and
every thing in the same unaltered state. The body was now in such
a high degree of pntrefitetion, that we could not trust to the limbs
to ensivey it. and it was accordingly moved to the table on a sheet.
On every thing being in readiness, the attendance of the medical
seen was requested, who all placed themselves iound the table, and
behind them stood the disciples smoking tobacco, a proof that they
dial not consider the proplactess.to possess the most savoury odour!
Outing the examination. a most interesting scene was presented.
The believers were all on tiptoe to see Shiloh appear, and there
vm lei could not hove a view themselves, , were must anxiously mak
inquides of the others. No promised child, however, appeared;
w hich so confounded Ow rest that they gradually left the room
abashm•d and dismayed. dissection of every part, no orgasmic
disease could be discovered to account for her death.
" The body was in so highly a putrid state, that it was thought
minec,essary to examine the brain, where it was probable all the
mischief lay, and which would have been discovered had the dis
section taken place the day after her death. She certainly suffered
from determined ti of blood to the head; and the seesati us of
giddiness and numbness of the extremities she experieticed about a
month infuse her dissolution, indicated compression of the brain
from distension of blood vessels. When I saw her the day prcced-

-.4.1.,

-THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

~. /

A PUN.

i►:g her death, she was apoplectic, and in this state it may be said
she died.
" The state of the internal coat of the stomach was particularly
inspected, in► consequence of itdoemetion having been sent to tl►e
coroner that she had been poisoned ; but the appearance of it pro-
ved there was no foundation for such a supposition.
". The disappointment of her disciples on opening of the body,
may be better conceived then described It was strongly depicted
in eery countenance. Mr. Sharp was the only one that held oat
to the rest the balm of consolation. Life, he observed, was involved
'in mystery. His mind had been often tinned to the investigation
of the works of the Deity, to discover evidence fur the existence of
the soul ; that he was satisfied of the existence of a God and of a
soul; that he was in hopes by this woman something would be re-
vealed ; but now he felt greatly disappointed, and all he could say
was, that he was in the same state will► respect to his knowledge of
God as before be saw this woman. Two finale attendants, Mrs.
Townley and Mrs. Underwood, were inconsolable. They had all
pictured to themselves many happy days. the enjoyment of a heaven
on earth. This sad event, this unexpected change, so suddenly
coming upon them, was too muck to bear. Me of the disciples
declined be should turn Unitarian. None condemned her as an
impostor ; one declared he would ever revere her memory. and once
a month visit the epot where she stv.as laid with pious and revereu•
tial awe!"
Dr. Reece states, that •• It is not true that any certificate was
signed by the Medical Gentlemen that were present at the opening
the body, declaring, that there were no sappearanees that accounted
for her dissolution. A report having been circulated that she had
been poisoned. and the Coroner having expressed his determination
to empanuel a Jury for the purpose of investigating the fact, a cer•
tificate was drawn up, containing a declaration that there war ma
foundation for such a supposition."

HER FUNERAL.
After dissection on Saturday sennight, the body was put in a
plain coffin in the presence of three gentlemen. When the lid was
screwed down, pitch was applied to the edges and rim. While this
was performing, the strictest injunctions of secrecy were given to
all present. At twelve o'clock at night, the crowd having retired
from the street, the coffin was carried by four men to the nndertak era,
at the corner of Rathbone-place, Oxford-street. Here it remained
during Sunday. On Monday afternoon, about two o'clock, it was
put into a hearse, drawn by two horses, without the usual ornament
of feathers, to favour the belief that it did not contain a corpse, bnt
was only going to receive and convey one. The hearee, followed by
three gentlemen in a coach and pair, then proceeded to Marylebone
upper burying-ground. near Kilburn, where it was interred, and
the usual church service performed by the Clergyman. The few
people whom curiosity attracted round the grave had not the
slightest suspicion that the coffin contained the remains of Joanna
Sionthcott. Such ptecantions were taken, that it was impossible
the secret could prematurely transpire. It was known to none of
her followers, and scarcely to any of her late confidants. The three
gentlemen who followed the corpse to the grave were muffled up
more than is customary even to mourners they wore great coats,
which were buttoned up to the chin, black cloaks standing high in
the collar, handkerchiefs tied round the lower part of The face, and
their hats pulled over their eyes. So completely had they succeeded
in disguising themselves, that nut R feature was visible ; they
abstained from all conversation, so that the writer of this communi-
cation could not recognise their persons. On their road to the
place of internment, they were joined bSt a fourth person, equally well
disguised as themselves, and Who did not separate from them. This
last is conjectured to have been Tozer.

Rues to the Saints the fact reveals,,
" JonipA's 60 Is east,"
For, spite of gifts, of faith and seals,
DEATH Melia her Up at WA:

TOZER, in grief, says-L" SHARPY, you gat,
•
The Doctors could not save her.
SHARPE says--" Four days will prove all that;
If not—then we'll ca:grore her."
York, Jan 4, 1115. s •

G. W. S.