you're welcome!
Posted by Laura W on January 10, 1998 at 21:12:58:
In response to Oh, Laura, what a gift!, written by Caroline on January 10, 1998 at 20:50:51
] Secondly, for answering my question, put so long ago, about churching, and the formalisation of childbirth rituals. The academic world is, on the whole, reluctant to take on tradition and folklore, which so often is dismissed as the result of untutored and unrefined ignorance. You have just proved the importance of such tradition in the minutiae of everyday life!
I think that it was very important-- women died regularly from childbirth, so it was a ritual which was greatly needed. It's almost alien to us, but to have so many children so healthy was indeed a great blessing.
] Thirdly, the account itself, which is clearly applicable to the period of Jane Austen's Childhood, at least, an dis interesting in it's own right.
Well, *I* sure thought so! :-) I'm glad you did too.
] And fourthly ,the tidbit at the end- about smallpox innoculations, which is one of my favourite Georgian stories, which I'll expand on myself some day- when there is an excuse to do so!
I read a biography of Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu which described it in great detail. Tillyard only gives a paragraph.
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