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Woman physiologically considered as to mind, morals, marriage, matrimonial slavery, infidelity and divorce / By Alexander Walker.

  • Walker, Alexander, 1779-1852.
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Woman physiologically considered as to mind, morals, marriage, matrimonial slavery, infidelity and divorce / By Alexander Walker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of iniquity; and her miserable death was the proper sequel of such a life. «¢ Hew and miserable,” says the historian, “‘ were the (latter) days of Elizabeth. Her spirit left her ; and existence itself seemeda burden. She rejected all consolation: she would scarcely taste food, and refused every kind of medicine, declaring that she wished to die, and would liveno longer. She could not even be prevailed on to go to bed; but threw herself on the carpet, where she remained, pensive and silent, during ten days and nights, leaning on cushions, and holding her fingers almost continually in her mouth, with her eyes open, and fixed on the ground. Her sighs, her groans, were all expressive of some inward grief, which she cared not to utter, and which preyed upon her life,’’* * Sir Walter Scott gives nearly a similar account of this bad woman :—= “¢ With all the prejudices of her subjects in her own favour, Elizabeth would fain have had Mary’s death take place in such a way as that she herself should not appear to have any hand in it. Her ministers were employed to write letters to Mary’s keepers, insinuating what a good service they would do to Elizabeth and the Protestant religion, if Mary could be privately assassinated. But these stern guardians, though strict and severe in their conduct towards the queen, would not listen to such persuasions ; and well was it for them that they did not, for Elizabeth would certainly have thrown the whole blame of the deed upon their shoulders, and left them to answer it with their lives and fortunes. She was angry with them, nevertheless,