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would appear by this letter to have been at the point of death
within the last month。’—Having run his eye over the Letter； he
shook his head and began： ‘No chance of seeing them at Sanditon
I am sorry to say。—A very indifferent account of them indeed。
Seriously； a very indifferent account。—Mary； you will be quite
sorry to hear how ill they have been and are。—Miss H。； if you will
give me leave； I will read Diana’s Letter aloud。—I like to have my
friends acquainted with each other—and I am afraid this is the
only sort of acquaintance I shall have the means of accomplishing
between you。—And I can have no scruple on Diana’s account—for
her Letters shew her exactly as she is； the most active； friendly；
warmhearted Being in existence； and therefore must give a good
impression。’ He read。—‘My dear Tom； We were all much grieved
at your accident； and if you had not described yourself as fallen
into such very good hands； I should have been with you at all
hazards the day after the receipt of your Letter； though it found
me suffering under a more severe attack than usual of my old
grievance； Spasmodic Bile and hardly able to crawl from my Bed
to the Sofa。—But how were you treated？—Send me more
Particulars in your next。—If indeed a simple Sprain； as you
denominate it； nothing would have been so judicious as Friction；
Friction by the hand alone； supposing it could be applied
instantly。—Two years ago I happened to be calling on Mrs。
Sheldon when her Coachman sprained his foot as he was cleaning
the Carriage and could hardly limp into the House—but by the
immediate use of Friction alone steadily persevered in； （and I
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rubbed his Ancle with my own hand for six Hours without
Intermission）—he was well in three days。—Many Thanks my dear
Tom； for the kindness with respect to us； which had so large a
share in bringing on your accident—But pray never run into Peril
again； in looking for an Apothecary on our account； for had you
the most experienced Man in his Line settled at Sanditon； it would
be no recommendation to us。 We have entirely done with the
whole Medical Tribe。 We have consulted Physician after Physician
in vain； till we are quite convinced that they can do nothing for us
and that we must trust to our own knowledge of our own wretched
Constitutions for any relief。—But if you think it advisable for the
interest of the Place； to get a Medical Man there； I will undertake
the commission with pleasure； and have no doubt of succeeding。—
I could soon put the necessary Irons in the fire。—As for getting to
Sanditon myself it is quite an Impossibility。 I grieve to say that I
dare not attempt it； but my feelings tell me too plainly that in my
present state； the Sea air would probably be the death of me。—
And neither of my dear Companions will leave me； or I would
promote their going down to you for a fortnight。 But in truth； I
doubt whether Susan’s nerves would be equal to the effort。 She
has been suffering much from the Headache and Six Leaches a
day for ten days together relieved her so little that we thought it
right to change our measures—and being convinced on
examination that much of the Evil lay in her Gum； I persuaded her
to attack the disorder there。 She has accordingly had three Teeth
drawn； and is decidedly better； but her Nerves are a good deal
deranged。 She can only speak in a whisper—and fainted away
twice this morning on poor Arthur’s trying to suppress a cough。
He； I am happy to say is tolerably well—tho’ more languid than I
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like—and I fear for his Liver。—I have heard nothing of Sidney
since your being together in Town； but conclude his scheme to the
I。 of Wight has not taken place； or we should have seen him in his
way。—Most sincerely do we wish you a good Season at Sanditon；
and though we cannot contribute to your Beau Monde in person；
we are doing our utmost to send you Company worth having； and
think we may safely reckon on securing you two large Families；
one a rich West Indian from Surry； the other； a most respectable
Girls Boarding School； or Academy； from Camberwell。—I will not
tell you how many People I have employed in the business—Wheel
within wheel。—But Success more than repays。—Yours most
affectionately； &c。’—‘Well’—said Mr。 P。—as he finished。 ‘Though I
dare say Sidney might find something extremely entertaining in
this Letter and make us laugh for half an hour together I declare I
by myself； can see nothing in it but what is either very pitiable or
very creditable。—With all their sufferings； you perceive how much
they are occupied in promoting the Good of others！—So anxious
for Sanditon！ Two large Families—One； for Prospect House
probably； the other； for No。 2。 Denham Place—or the end house of
the Terrace；—and extra Beds at the Hotel。—I told you my Sisters
were excellent Women； Miss H。’ ‘And I am sure they must be very
extraordinary ones。’—said Charlotte。 ‘I am astonished at the
chearful style of the Letter； considering the state in which both
Sisters appear to be。—Three Teeth drawn at once！—frightful！—
Your Sister Diana seems almost as ill as possible； but those three
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
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