Aged forty-six, admitted 2d January 1822. This poor lady has a very
exalted notion of her high rank and dignity. She was probably one of
the radical visitants to Brandenburgh House, and supposes herself to
be no less a personage than Queen Caroline. She affects to know every
body in high life; calls all persons she sees by wrong names of her own
suggestion, and is quite sure she remembers them, in some situation or
other where she has been acquainted.
If a party of visitors come round to view the establishment, she
instantly adapts a name to each; and affects to know their characters
and situations quite familiarly. This is Mr. Somebody, whom she knew
in such a situation; that lady is Mrs. Such-a-one, who has had so many
children by such a gentleman. To the nurses she is very liberal in
her allowance of prolificacy. Some, she says, have had three or four
illegitimate children, others now with child, and, in fact, she assumes
to know every one, and all their private histories.
When her majesty goes forth to promenade the airing-ground, she
generally enthrones herself in a large chair which is there fixed,
assumes all the pomp and consequence which she thinks attached to her
high estate, and looks down on the surrounding female patients as her
maids of honour, or her humble subjects, who owe the profoundest homage
to her fancied royalty.
This poor princess was a married woman, and her insanity is supposed to
be the result of remorseful feelings for an unfortunate aberration from
her conjugal rectitude. She is cleanly, quiet, and harmless.