Treść książki
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1.1840-1844:THEFIRSTFOURCHILDREN
Iwassorestlessbeforeyouwereborn,andIfoundthemvery
soothing…Theyareperfectlysimpleandinnocent,hesaid
hefoundthemtheanswerwithladies-andsohaveI”.
156
Shecomplainedfromtimetotimeofuadreadfulheadache,withwhich
Iawoke,&wasobligedtoliedownthewholemorning”,157unotfeeling
verywell”,158feelingverytired,159awakingfeelinguratherpoorly&out
ofsorts”,160feelinguasifIshouldfaint”,161oftheneedtorestoften,orof
bad
162
orrestlessnights,
163
butonthewholethepregnancywasuneventful.
EventheattackbyEdwardOxfordonConstitutionHill(on10June1840),
whentheQueenwasfourmonthspregnant,hadnoharmfuleffectson
herhealth.164Indeed,thenextdayPrinceAlbertwrotethathisu[…]chief
anxietywaslestthefrightshouldhavebeeninjurioustoVictoriainher
presentstate,butsheisquitewell,asIammyself.IthankAlmightyGod
forHisprotection.[…].”
165
Thisattemptedassassinationincreasedthe
Queen’spopularitydramaticallyandalsoledtotheRegencyBillbeing
passed,whichappointedPrinceAlbertasRegentintheeventofherdying
beforeherchildreachedadulthood.166LadyLytteltonrelatesthatwhen
thePrincewasaskedbyLordWriothesleyRussell,aCanonofWindsor,
ifaprayerfortheQueen’supeculiarcircumstances”shouldbeaddeddur-
ingtheservice,hesaid,utNo,no.YouhaveonealreadyintheLitany-all
womenlabouringofchild.YouprayalreadyfvetimesfortheQueen.Itis
toomuch.’LordW.-tCanwepraySir,toomuchforHerMajesty?’Prince-
tNottooheartily,buttoooften’”.167
TheQueen’spregnancywasnotoffciallyannounced,butinMaythe
physicianswhoweretobeheraccoucheurs,namelyCharlesLocock,Robert
Ferguson,andRichardBlagden,wereinformedoftheirrespectiveappoint-
ments.
168
TheQueenhadherPhysician-in-Ordinary,SirJamesClark,butas
hedidnotspecialiseinobstetricshethoughtitprudenttocallinrenowned
accoucheurs.169
TheQueenmetDrLocockforthefrsttimeon5August1840,andhe
uthoughtme,asIam,verywell”.
170
DrClarkaddsinhismemorandum
thatLocockexpressedhimselfugreatlypleased”withherappearance
andexcellentstateofhealthandsaidhethoughthehadneverseenthe
Queenlookingsowell.”
171
TwodayslatershemetDrFergusonu(theother
tAccoucheur’)”,whoalsothoughttheQueenuuncommonlywell”and
hopedshewouldhaveuaveryeasyconfnement”.
172
DrFergusonsays
hecontinuedtoseetheQueenduringthesummer,approximatelyevery
10daysuntilthetimeshewasconfned,andusuallyfoundherverywell.
173
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