t works. One of the earliest and most startling of these was
her "Warning to the whole World, from the Sealed Prophecies of Joanna
Southcott, and other communications given since the writings were opened
on the 12th of January, 1803." This foretold the close approach of the
great red dragon of the Revelations, "with seven heads and ten horns,
and seven crowns upon his heads," and the birth of the "man-child who
was to rule all nations with a rod of iron."

In 1805, a shoemaker named Tozer built her a chapel in Exeter at his
own expense, and it was, from the first, constantly filled on
service-days with eager worshipers. Here she gave exhortations, and
prophesied in a species of religious frenzy or convulsion, sometimes
uttering very heavy prose, and sometimes the most fearful doggerel
rhyme resembling--well--perhaps our album effusions here at home!
Indeed, I can think of nothing else equally fearful. In these
paroxysms, Joanna raved like an ancient Pythoness whirling on her
tripod, and to just about the same purpose. Yet, it was astonishing to
see how the thing went down. Crowds of intelligent people came from all
parts of the United Kingdom to listen, be converted, and to receive
the "seals" (as they were called) that secured their fortunate
possessor unimpeded and immediate admission to heaven. Of course,
tickets so precious could not be given away for nothing, and the seal
trade in this new form proved very lucrative.

The most remarkable of all these conversions was that of the celebrated
engraver, William Sharp, who, notwithstanding his eminent position as an
artist, by no means bore out his name in other things. He had previously
become thoroughly imbued with the notions of Swedenborg, Mesmer, and the
famous Richard Brothers, and was quite ripe for anything fantastic. Such
a convert was a perfect godsend to Joanna, and she was easily persuaded
to accompany him to London, where her congregations rapidly increased to
enormous proportions, even rivaling those now summoned by the "drum
ecclesiastical" and orthodox of the Rev. Mr. Spurgeon.

The whole sect extended until, in 1813, it numbered no less than one
hundred thousand members, signed and "sealed"--Mr. Sharp occupying a
most conspicuous position at the very footstool of the Prophetess. Late
in 1813, appeared the "Book of Wonders," "in five parts," and it was a
clincher. Poor Sharp came in largely for the expenses, but valiantly
stood his ground against it all