"This person, we are told, is daughter of one Wallin, a bone-setter of Hindon, Wilts, and sister of that Polly Peachem whom a gentleman of fortune married. Upon some family quarrel she left her father, and wandered up and down the country in a very miserable manner, calling herself Crazy Sally; and often, as it is presumed for grief, giving way to a practice that made her appear to have too good a title to the name. Arriving at last at Epsom, she has performed such wonderful cures, that we are told the people thereabout intend a subscription for 300l. a year to keep her among them."
Many of those cures are then described, which seem well attested, and are really surprising. "In fine, the concourse of people to Epsom on this occasion is incredible; and it is supposed she gets near 20 guineas a day, as she executes what she does in a very quick manner. She has strength enough to put in any mans shoulder without assistance; and this her strength makes the following story, which may be depended upon, the more credible.
"An impostor came to her, sent, as it is supposed, by some Surgeons, on purpose to try her skill, with his head bound up; and pretended that his wrist was put out; which, upon examination, she found to be false; but, to be even
with him, she gave it a wrench, and really put it out, and bade him go to the fools who sent him, and get it sett again; or, if he would come to her that day month, she would do it herself."
This strange woman utterly ruined herself by giving way to that eccentricity, which too frequently in one way or other marks all our characters. The object of it was a Mr. Hill Mapp, on whom she fixed her affections, and to whom she was determined at all events to be married, though every effort was made by her friends to prevent the match. On the day appointed for the ceremony, Sir James Edwards, of Walton-upon-Thames, waited on her with the daughter of Mr. Glass, an Attorney, a poor afflicted child whose neck was dislocated and supported by steel instruments. Miss Wallin saw the girl, and said she could restore the parts, but would do nothing till she became Mrs. Mapp. A gentleman present, finding her resolute, lent her his chariot to convey her to Ewell, where she expected to obtain a conveyance to London with her intended husband, though in that expectation she was disappointed. "As she was going to Ewell, Mr. Walker, brazier, of Cheapside, met her, and returned with her to the Inn. He was carrying down his daughter to her, a girl about 12 years of age, whose case was as follows: the vertebræ, instead of descending regularly from the neck, deviated to the right scapula, whence it returned towards the left side, till it
came within a little of the hip-bone, thence returning to the locus, it descended regularly upon the whole, forming a serpentine figure. Miss Wallin set her strait, made the back perfect, and raised the girl two inches. While this was doing, Sir James Edwards's chariot with two gentlemen in it, came to beg her to come back to Epsom, suspecting she might not return again; but all their persuasions availed nothing, and the best terms they could make with her were, that she should not go to London to be married, but have the chariot and go to Headley, about three miles from Epsom. As the coachman was driving her by Epsom, she was told that the Minister of Headley was suspended for marrying Mr. C. whereupon the coachman said he would carry her no further, unless it was to Epsom. She then alighted, and went into a cottage on the side of the town; presently after which, information being given that she was there, Mrs. Shaw and several other ladies of that place went to her on foot to importune her to return; but, to avoid any farther solicitation, she protested she would never come nigh the town, if they opposed her marriage any longer; and then walked on towards Banstead. Sir James Edwards, being informed how much she was affronted by his coachman, immediately ordered a pair of his horses to be put to a four-wheeled chaise, and sent them with another driver to offer their service to convey her where she pleased. Mr.
Bridgwater in his chaise, and several other people on horseback, followed her also, and overtook her when she had walked about a mile over the Downs towards Banstead, where she had determined to be married. When she came there, the Minister having no licences, she returned to her first resolution of going to London; but, the horses having travelled that morning from Walton, and being harassed about without any refreshment, the coachman was afraid to venture so far as London with them, and desired to be excused; upon which Mr. Bridgwater, in regard to the child Sir James Edwards had brought, and other unhappy creatures who were in Epsom waiting for their cure, brought her in his chariot to London, saw her married, and conveyed her back again immediately after, being fully resolved to see her perform her promise." Mrs. Mapp was buried at the expence of the parish of St. Giles in 1737!!
The methods adopted by Lord and Lady Vane to render themselves conspicuous in the annals of their Country were so extremely eccentric, and are so well known, that their shades would feel indignant should I refuse the Viscount's advertisement a niche in this odd catalogue of worthies. His Lordship thus introduced himself to public notice January 24, 1737:
"Whereas Frances, wife of the right honourable the Lord Viscount Vane, has for some months past absented herself from her husband,
and the rest of her friends, I do hereby promise to any person or persons who shall discover where the said lady Vane is concealed, to me or to Francis Hawes, Esq. her father, so that either of us may come to the speech of her, the sum of 100l. as a reward to be paid by me on demand at my lodgings in Piccadilly. I do also promise the name of the person, who shall make such discovery, shall be concealed, if desired. Any person concealing or lodging her after this advertisement, will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour. Or, if her Ladyship will return to me, she may depend upon being kindly received. She is about 22 years of age, tall, well-shaped, has light brown hair, is fair-complexioned, and has her upper teeth placed in an irregular manner. She had on when she absented a red damask French sacque, and was attended by a French woman, who speaks very bad English.