Anne and Henrietta, finding themselves the earliest of the party the

next morning, agreed to stroll down to the sea before breakfast. They

went to the sands, to watch the flowing of the tide, which a fine

south-easterly breeze was bringing in with all the grandeur which so

flat a shore admitted. They praised the morning; gloried in the sea;

sympathized in the delight of the fresh-feeling breeze--and were

silent; till Henrietta suddenly began again with-"Oh! yes,--I am quite convinced that, with very few exceptions, the

sea-air always does good. There can be no doubt of its having been of

the greatest service to Dr Shirley, after his illness, last spring

twelve-month. He declares himself, that coming to Lyme for a month,

did him more good than all the medicine he took; and, that being by the

sea, always makes him feel young again. Now, I cannot help thinking it

a pity that he does not live entirely by the sea. I do think he had

better leave Uppercross entirely, and fix at Lyme. Do not you, Anne?

Do not you agree with me, that it is the best thing he could do, both

for himself and Mrs Shirley? She has cousins here, you know, and many

acquaintance, which would make it cheerful for her, and I am sure she

would be glad to get to a place where she could have medical attendance

at hand, in case of his having another seizure. Indeed I think it

quite melancholy to have such excellent people as Dr and Mrs Shirley,

who have been doing good all their lives, wearing out their last days

in a place like Uppercross, where, excepting our family, they seem shut

out from all the world. I wish his friends would propose it to him. I

really think they ought. And, as to procuring a dispensation, there

could be no difficulty at his time of life, and with his character. My

only doubt is, whether anything could persuade him to leave his parish.

He is so very strict and scrupulous in his notions; over-scrupulous I

must say. Do not you think, Anne, it is being over-scrupulous? Do not

you think it is quite a mistaken point of conscience, when a clergyman

sacrifices his health for the sake of duties, which may be just as well

performed by another person? And at Lyme too, only seventeen miles

off, he would be near enough to hear, if people thought there was

anything to complain of."

Anne smiled more than once to herself during this speech, and entered

into the subject, as ready to do good by entering into the feelings of

a young lady as of a young man, though here it was good of a lower

standard, for what could be offered but general acquiescence? She said

all that was reasonable and proper on the business; felt the claims of

Dr Shirley to repose as she ought; saw how very desirable it was that

he should have some active, respectable young man, as a resident

curate, and was even courteous enough to hint at the advantage of such

resident curate's being married.




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