the body of the Prophetess was retained in her
house until the very last moment. When the dissection demanded by the
majority of the sect could no longer be delayed, that operation was
performed, and it was found that the subject had died of ovarian dropsy;
but was--as she had always maintained herself to be--a virgin. Dr.
Reece, who had been a devout believer, but was now undeceived, published
a full account of this and all the other circumstances of her death, and
another equally earnest disciple bore the expenses of her burial at St.
John's Wood, and placed over her a tombstone with appropriate
inscriptions.

As late as 1863, there were many families of believers still existing
near Chatham, in Kent; and even in this country can here and there be
found admirers of the creed of Joanna Southcott, who are firmly
convinced that she will re-appear some fine morning, with Sanderson on
one side of her and Sharp on the other.

CHAPTER XLVI.

THE FIRST HUMBUG IN THE WORLD.--ADVANTAGES OF STUDYING THE IMPOSITIONS
OF FORMER AGES.--HEATHEN HUMBUGS.--THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES.--THE
CABIRI.--ELEUSIS.--ISIS.

The domain of humbug reaches back to the Garden of Eden, where the
Father of lies practised it upon our poor, innocent first grandmother,
Eve. This was the first and worst of all humbugs. But from that eventful
day to the present moment, falsehood, hypocrisy, deception, imposition,
cant, bigotry, false appearances and false pretences, superstitions, and
all conceivable sorts of humbugs, have had a full swing, and he or she
who watches these things most closely, and reflects most deeply upon
these various peculiarities, bearings, and results, will be best
qualified to detect and to avoid them. For this reason, I should look
upon myself as somewhat of a public benefactor, in exposing the humbugs
of the world, if I felt competent to do the subject full justice.

Next to the fearful humbug practiced upon our first parents, came
heathen humbugs generally. All heathenism and idolatry are one grand
complex humbug to begin with. All the heathen religions always were, and
are still, audacious, colossal, yet shallow and foolish, humbugs. The
heathen humbugs were played off by the priests, the shrewdest men then
alive. It is a curious fact that the heathen humbugs were all solemn.
This was because they were intended to maintain the existing religions,
which, like all false religions, could not endure ridicule. They always
appea