Atheistsomalipirate
My life is a try not to laugh challenge
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- Joined
- Dec 7, 2019
- Posts
- 612
At times Merrick was bored and lonely, and demonstrated signs of depression.[71] He had spent his entire adult life segregated from women, first in the workhouse and then as an exhibit. The women he met were either disgusted or frightened by his appearance.[72] His opinions about women were derived from his memories of his mother and what he read in books. Treves decided that Merrick would like to be introduced to a woman and it would help him feel normal.[73] The doctor arranged for a friend of his named Mrs. Leila Maturin, "a young and pretty widow", to visit Merrick.[43] She agreed and with fair warning about his appearance, she went to his rooms for an introduction. The meeting was short, as Merrick quickly became overcome with emotion.[73] He later told Treves that Maturin had been the first woman ever to smile at him, and the first to shake his hand.[43]