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Heiresses are monstrous scarce！ I do not think we have had an
Heiress here； or even a Co— since Sanditon has been a public
place。 Families come after Families； but as far as I can learn； it is
not one in an hundred of them that have any real Property；
Landed or Funded。—An Income perhaps； but no Property。
Clergymen may be； or Lawyers from Town； or Half pay officers； or
Widows with only a jointure。 And what good can such people do
anybody？—except just as they take our empty Houses—and
（between ourselves） I think they are great fools for not staying at
home。 Now； if we could get a young Heiress to be sent here for her
health—（and if she was ordered to drink asses milk I could supply
her）—and as soon as she got well； have her fall in love with Sir
Edward！’—‘That would be very fortunate indeed。’ ‘And Miss
Esther must marry somebody of fortune too—She must get a rich
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Husband。 Ah！ young Ladies that have no Money are very much to
be pitied！—But’—after a short pause—‘if Miss Esther thinks to
talk me into inviting them to come and stay at Sanditon House；
she will find herself mistaken。—Matters are altered with me since
last Summer you know。 I have Miss Clara with me now； which
makes a great difference。’ She spoke this so seriously that
Charlotte instantly saw in it the evidence of real penetration and
prepared for some fuller remarks—but it was followed only by—‘I
have no fancy for having my House as full as an Hotel。 I should not
chuse to have my two Housemaids Time taken up all the morning；
in dusting out Bed rooms。—They have Miss Clara’s room to put to
rights as well as my own every day。—If they had hard Places； they
would want Higher Wages。 For objections of this Nature； Charlotte
was not prepared； and she found it so impossible even to affect
sympathy； that she could say nothing。—Lady D。 soon added； with
great glee—‘And besides all this my Dear； am I to be filling my
House to the prejudice of Sanditon？—If People want to be by the
Sea； why dont they take Lodgings？—Here are a great many empty
Houses—three on this very Terrace； no fewer than three Lodging
Papers staring us in the face at this very moment； Numbers 3； 4
and 8。 8； the Corner House may be too large for them； but either of
the two others are nice little snug Houses； very fit for a young
Gentleman and his sister—And so； my dear； the next time Miss
Esther begins talking about the dampness of Denham Park； and
the Good Bathing always does her； I shall advise them to come and
take one of these Lodgings for a fortnight—Don’t you think that
will be very fair？—Charity begins at home you know。’—Charlotte’s
feelings were divided between amusement and indignation—but
indignation had the larger and the increasing share。—She kept
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her Countenance and she kept a civil Silence。 She could not carry
her forbearance farther； but without attempting to listen longer；
and only conscious that Lady D。 was still talking on in the same
way； allowed her Thoughts to form themselves into such a
Meditation as this。—‘She is thoroughly mean。 I had not expected
any thing so bad。—Mr。 P。 spoke too mildly of her。—His Judgement
is evidently not to be trusted。—His own Goodnature misleads him。
He is too kind hearted to see clearly。 I must judge for myself。—
And their very connection prejudices him。—He has persuaded her
to engage in the same Speculation—and because their object in
that Line is the same； he fancies she feels like him in others。—But
she is very； very mean。—I can see no Good in her。—Poor Miss
Brereton！—And she makes every body mean about her。—This
poor Sir Edward and his Sister；—how far Nature meant them to
be respectable I cannot tell；—but they are obliged to be Mean in
their Servility to her。—And I am Mean too； in giving her my
attention； with the appearance of coinciding with her。—Thus it is；
when Rich People are Sordid。’
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CHAPTER VIII
he two Ladies continued walking together till rejoined by
the others； who as they issued from the Library were
T
followed by a young Whitby running off with five volumes
under his arm to Sir Edward’s Gig—and Sir Edward approaching
Charlotte； said ‘You may perceive what has been our Occupation。
My Sister wanted my Counsel in the selection of some books。—We
have many leisure hours； and read a great deal。—I am no
indiscriminate Novel…Reader。 The mere Trash of the common
Circulating Library； I hold in the highest contempt。 You will never
hear me advocating those puerile Emanations which detail
nothing but discordant Principles incapable of Amalgamation； or
those vapid tissues of ordinary Occurrences from which no useful
Deductions can be drawn。—In vain may we put them into a
literary Alembic；—we distil nothing which can add to Science。—
You understand me I am sure？’ ‘I am not quite certain that I do。—
But if you will describe the sort of Novels which you do approve； I
dare say it will give me a clearer idea。’ ‘Most willingly； Fair
Questioner。—The Novels which I approve are such as display
Human Nature with Grandeur—such as shew her in the
Sublimities of intense Feeling—such as exhibit the progress of
strong Passion from the first Germ of incipient Susceptibility to
the utmost Energies of Reason half…dethroned；—where we see the
strong spark of Woman’s Captivations elicit such Fire in the Soul
of Man as leads him—（though at the risk of some Aberration from
the strict line of Primitive Obligations）—hazard all； dare all；
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achieve all； to obtain her。—Such are the Works which I peruse
with delight； and I hope I may say； with Amelioration。 They hold
forth the most splendid Portraitures of high Conceptions；
Unbounded Views； illimitable Ardour； indomptible Decision—and
even when the Event is mainly anti…prosperous to the high…toned
Machinations of the prime Character； the potent； pervading Hero
of the Story； it leaves us full of Generous Emotions for him；—our
Hearts are paralized。 T’were Pseudo…Philosophy to assert that we
do not feel more enwraped by the brilliancy of his Career； than by
the tranquil and morbid Virtues of any opposing Character。