Page:Austen Sanditon and other miscellanea.djvu/50

 26 hand. She was as thoroughly amiable as she was lovely, and since having had the advantage of their Sanditon Breezes, that Loveliness was complete.

 

‘ whose very snug-looking Place is this?’ said Charlotte, as in a sheltered Dip within 2 miles of the Sea, they passed close by a moderate-sized house, well fenced and planted, and rich in the Garden, Orchard and Meadows which are the best embellishments of such a Dwelling. ‘It seems to have as many comforts about it as Willingden.’ 'Ah!’ said Mr. Parker, ‘This is my old House, the house of my Forefathers, the house where I and all my Brothers and Sisters were born and bred, and where my own 3 eldest Children were born, where Mrs. Parker and I lived till within the last 2 years, till our new House was finished. I am glad you are pleased with it. It is an honest old Place, and Hillier keeps it in very good order. I have given it up, you know, to the Man who occupies the chief of my Land. He gets a better House by it, and I a rather better situation. One other Hill brings us to Sanditon—modern Sanditon–a beautiful Spot. Our Ancestors, you know, always built in a hole. Here were we, pent down in this little contracted Nook, without Air or View, only one mile and three-qrs. from the noblest expanse of Ocean between the South Foreland and the Land’s End, and without the smallest advantage from it. You will not think I have made a bad exchange, when we reach Trafalgar House, which, by the by, I almost wish I had not named Trafalgar, for Waterloo is more the thing now. However, Waterloo is in reserve, and if we have encouragement enough this year for a little Crescent to be ventured on (as