Page:Austen Sanditon and other miscellanea.djvu/59

 Rh Your Sister Diana seems almost as ill as possible, but those 3 Teeth of your Sister Susan’s are more distressing than all the rest.’ ‘Oh! they are so used to the operation—to every operation—and have such Fortitude!’ ‘Your Sisters know what they are about, I dare say, but their Measures seem to touch on Extremes. I feel that in any illness, I should be so anxious for Professional advice, so very little venturesome for myself, or any body I loved! But then, we have been so healthy a family, that I can be no Judge of what the habit of self-doctoring may do.’ ‘Why, to own the truth,’ said Mrs. Parker, ‘I do think the Miss Parkers carry it too far sometimes, and so do you, my Love, you know. You often think they would be better, if they would leave themselves more alone, and especially Arthur. I know you think it a great pity they should give him such a turn for being ill.’ ‘Well, well, my dear Mary, I grant you, it is unfortunate for poor Arthur, that at his time of Life he should be encouraged to give way to Indisposition. It is bad; it is bad that he should be fancying himself too sickly for any Profession, and sit down at 1 and 20, on the interest of his own little Fortune, without any idea of attempting to improve it, or of engaging in any occupation that may be of use to himself or others. But let us talk of pleasanter things. These two large Families are just what we wanted. But here is something at hand, pleasanter still—Morgan, with his “Dinner on Table.”’