It was that very medicine which was administered by
Queen Anne of Denmark, however, to Prince Henry; that medicine which
Raleigh said, 'would cure him, or any other, of a disease, except in
case of poison.'
However, Ranby, house-surgeon to the king, and a favourite of Lord
Hervey's, assuring him that a cordial with this name or that name was
mere quackery, some usquebaugh was given instead, but was rejected by
the queen soon afterwards. At last Raleigh's cordial was administered,
but also rejected about an hour afterwards. Her fever, after taking
Raleigh's cordial, was so much increased, that she was ordered instantly
to be bled.
Then, even, the queen never disclosed the fact that could alone dictate
the course to be pursued. George II., with more feeling than judgment,
slept on the outside of the queen's bed all that night; so that the
unhappy invalid could get no rest, nor change her position, not daring
to irritate the king's temper.
The next day the queen said touchingly to her gentle, affectionate
daughter, herself in declining health, 'Poor Caroline! you are very ill,
too: we shall soon meet again in another place.'
Meantime, though the queen declared to every one that she was sure
nothing could save her, it was resolved to hold a _levee_.
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