done; so, if this awaken him to acknowledge the truth, that he hath done himself what he should condemn in another; then he will clear thy character, and say the fault rested with himself. He may send his answer to Underwood, to assign his reasons why he acted as he hath, that thou mayest answer him again. But if he now goes on hardened, this letter must go in public print; for thy innocence I shall clear one way or other, by my directions, or thy putting the law in force against him."

When I consider my calling, in the manuer I now stand between God and man, it is my indispensable duty to clear my honour amongt mankind, to prove that no deceit has ever been practised by me; but what must the Jews judge of me, if I lie silent under the slander of Mr. P.'s pen, saying I have made false misrepresentations? I would not for any consideration whatever lie under such an accusation, at such a time as this. I do not want Mr. P. to believe in the prophecies; I only want him to send a satisfactory answer to acknowledge the truths I put into his hands, of what I enumerated in the letter I sent to him in 1804; and if he had acknowledged at that time that he did receive them from me, he would never have been troubled with any more letters on my account. And I now only want a satisfactory answer from him, as he is not required to come forward himself now.

And now, Sir, as you was so honourable as to send Mr. P.'s letter to me, I shall esteem it a favour, if you will send my answer to him; and in so doing you will much oblige

your humble servant,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

The gentleman wrote a letter from himself, and

E

a copy of the above, sending therewith the Third Book of IVonders; but, receiving no answer, when the Fourth Book came out, he sent him that also, with another letter, requesting that Mr. P. would give some answer to what he had written, concerning the books and his inquiries; but, to his astonishment, the books and letters were returned, with the following note:

"Sir,

"Mr. Pomeroy being absent, I have returned the enclosed. Indeed, was he at home he would not, I am convinced, have any thing to do with the contents. If sent again it will be returned. Indeed, Sir, if you knew the uneasiness it gives him, I am convinced you would not trouble him any more on the subject. All letters sent will be returned in the same manner, as Mr. P. will have nothing to say or do on the subject.”—

All being returned back in this manner, the gentleman informed my friends of it, which they told me of. I then intreated the favour of the whole that were returned being sent to me, as they concerned me only; and which I was answered should be printed in this book; unless Mr. P. sent a letter to the gentleman, before the eleventh day of June, declaring that they had been returned in his absence, which he himself should not have done. But as he hath kept silence all this while, he certainly must approve of what Mrs. P. hath done: as no other person but a wife could take that liberty, of sending back the letter unopened, and the book and letters sent before. As to Mrs. P. in one respect I cannot blame her, as she may wish to remove any cause that wounds the feelings of her husband, which is natural for a wife to do; but she should have considered this, that the real cause must be removed, before the effects which she complains of

can cease. For, in the manner I now stand, at this present time, between God and man, my character must be cleared of every aspersion which Mr. P. has brought against me. However, I do not

marvel that Mrs. P. should say that it caused him uneasiness of mind, to have any inquiry made to him on the subject; but this uneasiness will increase until he acknowledges how wrongly he hath acted; for he will surely find that the uneasiness and sorrow he hath caused me, in trying to wound my character, will turn back upon his own head. So, if his character be injured, it is his own doing and here I shall appeal to the world at large to judge between him and me.

The ANSWER of the SPIRIT.

"Thou hast marvelled in thy heart, why I should direct thee to a man who hath acted like him, whose conduct I have ordered thee to put in public print, for all men to judge from, and to judge by; that, where prejudice and envy are, the truth will be denied; and therefore it is just judges that they must now call forward. And know I have told thee, that as soon as the marriage is granted, on the conditions I have mentioned; then the heads and rulers of the nation, whom I ordered thee to send the Letter and Portrait to, are at liberty to send their Physicians, to pass their judgment whether they think it likely for such an event to take place. But as some may be prejudiced through unbelief, thinking it impossible to be; and, like Pomeroy, place it another way; therefore, when these physicians are sent forward, then thy friends have a right to come forward with their physicians, or medical men; and those whom thy friends have consulted with already will then be called forward to meet the others. For, as I told thee,'

thou must have witnesses whenever thou didst go to Pomeroy on any thing particular concerning thy prophecies, and witnesses of the letters, which were sent to him; now thou seest my wisdom in these directions; so in like manner ye will all see, in the end, that thou hast need of witnesses of thy own friends to be called forward, when physicians are sent to inquire into the case. For though I have told thee it shall be plain, that there need not be any cause for dispute; yet I do not tell thee there may not be men who will dispute that some wondrous and strange disorder hath happened to thee in the year I have said thou shalt have a Son. And, from Pomery's conduct, all may see my cautions just; and to prevent any men's coming in the name of physicians being sent by the rulers whom I ordered thee to write unto; no man can come in that name, without bringing the Letter and the Portrait with him, to prove that they were honourably sent. in like manner, those physicians who are sent by them, at the time the CHILD is born, to prove that no deceit is practised on thy part, they must bring with them the Letter and Portrait, to prove that no deception is practised on their part. For now I shall put it out of the power of men to act for the future, as he hath acted in the time past; because justice, equity and truth, must now be made manifest unto all men, by placing witnesses every way, so that the truth cannot be evaded, but must be made clear.

And

"And now from the time when this book goeth out, all strangers must be forbidden coming to the house to make any inquiry concerning thee, without it be those whom I have ordered thee to send unto; and the multitude of thy friends, who were daily coming to make inquiries, must now,, out of love

and friendship to thee, refrain for awhile. For ye know not the anxiety of people; if a restraint were not put, thousands would come from different parts, after they knew thou hadst been seen by men, without considering thy situation, and what thou hast to go through from those thou must see; so to add to the number is more than thou couldest bear. And therefore the desire of all thy friends, who are so anxious to see thee at present, must be deferred till the CHILD is born, and thou art able to see them. It is but those who are called forward in the work, to stand with others, that can have access to see thee, when I appoint the time to call men forward, whom thou must be judged by,

"And now let all thy friends set their hearts at rest and know, if permission be granted to some, it must be granted to all.

"And now let the number be put down of those who have signed since the sealing was stopped, who are longing for my kingdom of righteousness and peace, and for my coming to establish happiness upon the earth."

The number of those who have signed since 1808, when the Sealing was stopped, and have had no seals give them yet, amounts to six thousand four hundred and upwards.

"Then now consider from this number, and a greater number, that was sealed before; out of all these believers, let the friends judge for their selves, what confusion it would cause, if all were at liberty to come according to their own desire. Know the hundreds that thou wast told wished to come from one place; then let men judge for theirselves, from the various places, among so many thousands, what a multitude would wish to come forward, were I not to put a stop to the present anxiety of the people; as it would be more