PARKER & PARKER, HERBALISTS
Introduction
This story is based on characters in Jane Austen’s unfinished novel Sanditon (1817), which she was working on at the time of her death. Thanks to Mr. Parker’s inspiration, his sisters Diana and Susan toil to turn Sanditon into a health mecca on the Sussex coast.
There are several completed versions of Sanditon by modern authors. I highly recommend the completed novel by “Jane Austen and Another Lady,” that is, the version copyrighted 1975 by Marie Dobbs.
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Mr. Thomas Parker’s fertile brain never strayed long or relaxed from thinking about his beloved Sanditon. With his entire family gathered at Trafalgar House, and while he was listening to his sisters’ reports of their current medical travails and successes with self treatments over dinner, he felt inspired by a new project.
“My dear Diana and Susan,” he said, “why do you not offer your vast knowledge of herbal medicines and home remedies on a larger, more obvious scale, that is, to the general public? You could – no, should, I daresay – manage your own establishment.”
“That is a fine idea, Husband,” his lady beamed. “Come, Sisters, you must see what a wonderful idea this is! For you are tireless in helping others; just consider how many ailing unfortunates you could gladden in our beloved community by improving their health.”
The Miss Parkers exchanged a surprised glance, and Diana exclaimed, “Oh, Thomas, we could not! We do not have the acumen for business, for one, nor do we have the physical stamina and robust health to oversee such an establishment, for another.”
“You can and you must,” countered their brother. “Again I say that you are both talented in providing remedies for various maladies, many of which you have suffered yourselves, and you have the motivation and energy to help others! You must share your knowledge as much as possible; best of all, you can do it in a way that will benefit our beloved Sanditon.”
“We thank you for your high and kind sentiments of our characters and abilities,” Susan dithered, “but I share Diana’s doubts. Besides, what should we call such an establishment?”
“I have just the name for it! The Parker Herbarium!”
Doubtful of the venture’s success, Sidney objected. “Such an undertaking requires capital. From whence shall it come? In addition, though Sanditon is thriving quite well, it remains rather small, so would there be clientele numerous enough to patronize such a shop?”
“Now, Sidney,” Arthur countered, “I think it is a fine idea. With the salubrious effects of town and sea, I am certain our sisters would be successful in this kind of enterprise, and I would be happy to assist them in any way imaginable.”
Sidney appeared ready to object again, but Mr. Parker’s eyes widened, and he exclaimed, “I have thought of something more! Of course, why did I not think of it before? People must have a variety of activities from which they can choose; Sanditon cannot only offer bathing machines, walks, and the new cricket field between the old village and Denham Park. No, we must have a gymnasium as well!”
“A gymnasium?” gasped Susan.
“Yes, to offer calisthenics and other exercises, which you and Diana could organize and recommend. Arthur could help you manage that too – so there would not only be the Parker Herbarium, but also the Parker Gymnasium!”
Exclamations filled the dining room. “Perhaps a shop will succeed, but a formal facility for exercise as well?” Sidney looked upset. “I congratulate you in being successful, dear Brother, in persuading a physician to set up his practice here, but would not an herbal shop provide too much competition to Dr. Benwood’s services and the bathing machines?”
“I am well aware,” Mr. Parker replied, “that not only would we be supporting a veritable physician and Sanditon’s many restorative characteristics, among them the sea air, bathing, and fine walking terrain, but also offering your sisters’ knowledge of treatments and cures. There is nothing untoward in offering a variety of options to ameliorate someone’s unfortunate condition. People should be able to choose what kind of treatment best improves their sensitivities and sensibilities.” Many heads nodded at this.
“Is it not all too much?”
Mr. Parker gave his younger brother a confident, knowing smile. “I do not think so.”
Mrs. Parker spoke up. “Do not mind Thomas and his ideas, Brother. Besides, we are all a little bit mad here in Sanditon.”
* * * * *
Despite his fecund ideas, Thomas Parker did not ignore practical matters, such as raising capital for them. He immediately thought of his coadjutor and partner to increase Sanditon’s reputation in the eyes of their compatriots. Lady Denham must be persuaded that these facilities, the herbal shop and the gymnasium, were vital to their community’s continued success!
He applied most readily to her, on a day he felt most fortuitous. It required a couple of hours, but Mr. Parker emerged victorious from Sanditon House, with her Ladyship’s promises to support his initiatives. Of course, he had to make a few concessions, one of them being the name of the proposed gymnasium.
So there was to be no Parker Gymnasium and Herbarium side by side along the strand, as Mr. Parker had originally envisioned. No, now it was to be the fine vaulted Denham Gymnasium, with the herbal shop, Parker & Parker, Herbalists, next door. Mr. Parker was open-minded enough that there would be plenty of town properties that could be named after both principal property owners, which would benefit them for ages to come. He did not agonize over his family’s reception of such news, for he knew how selfless Diana and Susan were, and how productive Arthur had become. His own lady, Mary, would of course support such a renaming; if Sidney still felt doubts, he would be vastly outnumbered – and hopefully chastened – by Lady Denham’s pledge of financial support.
No, Mr. Parker did not need to worry. When he informed his family of this decision, Susan was the first to speak. “Parker & Parker! It all sounds so refined, does it not?” Everyone seemed to approve the gymnasium’s namesake, even Sidney when he shrugged, “Why not?”
* * * * *
No sooner had Mr. Parker and Lady Denham provided the funds than construction began on “the facilities,” as they came to be known. The two new buildings along the strand were thrown up in no time, though Lady Denham insisted that the costs not exceed determined outlays, and that the construction be completed with exemplary quality. Diana was tireless in overseeing the painting, décor, and every possible detail of their herbal emporium, down to the number of shelves and display cases. Sidney relented and placed advertisements in the Sussex Herald, the Kentish Gazette, and Eastbourne’s Daily Dispatch. In three months, two sandy lots were transformed into a gymnasium and herbarium that were open to business.
* * * * *
It was difficult to determine which Parker family member was proudest of the extensive list of products and services available at the newly christened Parker & Parker, Herbalists. Once the Parker sisters had sat down to consider what they might prepare, procure, and sell, their merchandising possibilities seemed limitless; now they worried, would they have enough shelf and cabinet space to hold it all? And what size cash box would be appropriate?
The herbal lotions, poultices, and gentle tinctures were prime attractions, all prepared by Susan and Diana themselves, as well as their consultations into the wee hours. Possets of assorted intensities, along with lavender sachets and other varied potpourri, daintily contained in little lace packets, were offered. In addition, a large list of herbal remedies and tonics mixed to order was available, along with a respectable line of tonics brought in from London and Brighton. Mr. Parker could not be more enthusiastic over the innumerable exercise classes and walking tours his sisters had devised; their energies seemed to spur them on to develop even more products and services, including wholesome, nutritious foods culled from their own spare disciplined diets!
Crumbly, grainy loaves paired with green and herbal teas, derived from dandelions and other flourishing plant life, were sold; so too were glasses of fresh milk from Lady Denham’s prized milch asses, another concession, until “the tins run out,” said Susan, pinking. “Our benefactor cannot be more pleased, at threepence a glass!” Diana convinced Mrs. Ranger to bake tansy muffins, berry scones in wheat flour, and poppy seed cakes. Miss Caswell and her sister Miss Hermione kept them supplied with squash and pumpkin breads, watercress, sprout, and beet sandwiches, carrot and rosemary biscuits, and ginger cookies. Cabbage rolls and vegetable soup were available twice a week, and any fresh, but unsold edibles were distributed to the indigent in the immediate area. The Miss Parkers only forbade any French-style beignets, croissants, pastries, and butter pies.
Of course there were naysayers, which the Parkers had expected. “Here’s the quack corner,” Diana heard a rude visitor sneer one day at the shelves of bottled tonics, but she would not be deterred from expending her energies to keep the visitors to Sanditon, nay, all of Sussex and beyond, as healthy as she, her sister, and their knowledge could make them. “I do not approve of many bottled tonics, I admit,” she sniffed to her shop full of customers, “but we must cater to the needs of all our patrons and sufferers.” She was heartily applauded.
Despite the naysayers, sufficient coin began to flow to the Parker sisters, their brother, Lady Denham, and all the local people who kept the herbalists supplied with their wares. “I do not mind sharing the profits,” Diana declared, “for our associates arduously agree with me that furnishing the public with nourishing foodstuffs is a fine mission, one that is next to cleanliness!” When the vicar overcame his persistent lumbago, Diana proclaimed her satisfaction and justification for days. And for those ailments the master herbalists could not cure or ameliorate, discreet whispers provided directions to Dr. Benwood’s address.
The bakery goods and other foodstuffs continued to fly off their shelves, and Lady Denham exulted in the demand for the milch asses’ output. Sales of the potpourri, sachets, and tonics remained steady, and one could not be more pleased by the remunerations from the consultation fees. It was impressed upon every unmarried young female who had reached the age of sewing that all thimbles were need on deck to produce the lace packaging for the sachets and possets of potpourri, and were paid according to their output for the fledgling Parker Fine Lacework Industries, Limited. Susan, Diana, and Arthur, the walking tour leader, were speechless when they examined the pile of coins they had amassed every two weeks. Should they try to open an account at the County Bank in Eastbourne, or invite that venerable institution to open a satellite office in Sanditon?
* * * * *
Diana and Susan rose before dawn, but it was Diana’s exertions that continued long after sunset, despite her precarious health. Not even her recurring enemy, spasmodic bile, could prevent her from traveling to London when she learned that a group of masseurs from the Royal Gymnastic Central Institute of Stockholm, Sweden, had set up offices in Harley Street. “We must have a masseur for our gymnasium!” she had cried, and leaped upon the first post chaise to London, not even stopping for meals or lodging.
She returned just as quickly, accompanied by a large, muscular man with golden hair – Mr. Henrik Svedberg, an experienced masseur from Uppsala! All the Parkers, save Sidney, greeted Svedberg, as he wished to be known, as if he were royalty; and Susan had to restrain her amazement until she had the opportunity to speak with Diana alone.
“Dearest Sister, how did you persuade Mr. Svedberg to come to us from Harley Street?”
“I lured him with three hundred pounds,” Diana declared, “and I told him that, while his patrons would be primarily male, except for small sprains in the limbs, he could not but be captivated by the bevy of attractive young female visitors, some healthy, some not.”
“Diana! We must keep Sanditon’s reputation spotless!”
“He agreed most readily, Susan, and here he is.” Sidney had moaned spectacularly when he heard of the masseur’s remuneration. When Lady Denham heard about the bribe, she declared she would have done the same thing, and took to following him using her lorgnette.
Svedberg created quite a stir in town. Patrons complained that their extremities had been dislocated, or even torn limb from limb, but then were seen marching, hale and hearty, all over the downs. Young ladies appreciated the big man’s gentle touch in easing the cramps and sprains in their wrists and ankles. Appointments soon became prized, and difficult to obtain; one had to be violently ill, or prostrate from an existing condition, to cancel the planned session.
Discreet whispers now floated between young ladies concerning the handsome, agreeable, but taciturn Swede. They appreciated his smile, perfect teeth, and hazel eyes. Of his youth and musculature nothing needed to be said. Pairs of female eyes followed him wherever he went; the giggles and blushes were retained for one’s private quarters.
Most of the male population in and around Sanditon never completely accepted the masseur, despite his easing of their stiff, aching, tense bodies. For they could not overlook such a fine figure of a young man, whose muscles strained the seams of his plain serviceable attire and hose, his foreignness, or the interest he generated in women of all ages. Consequently, the gentlemen hated Svedberg, though none dared challenge him; besides, if the man were to leave his position, who would replace him to ease all their bodily pains?
If the Parkers noticed any of this discontent, they remained silent; for nothing must diminish or obstruct their mission to return as many people as they could to health. Svedberg remained massaging, in Sanditon. However, Arthur was distressed upon learning that the fashionable resorts of Brighton and Eastbourne already had masseurs.
“This is intolerable and most unfortunate!” he cried. “The Prince Regent will never quit Brighton for Sanditon now,” he wailed. Mr. Parker tried to soothe him, while Sidney could only shake his head.
“Do not despair, Arthur!” Of course, Diana was the first one to declaim. “Remember your resolve – our resolve – to help poor, unhealthful citizens such as ourselves! As far as our miraculous Sanditon goes, we will be victorious and remain successful! You must believe it, as Thomas, Susan, and I do!” It did not scruple her to have left out her more practical sister-in-law Mary, or astute Sidney, in her declaration.
“Arthur, you must allow that Diana is always correct in her predictions,” Susan said. “Look at how much demand there is for the exercise sessions we offer at Denham Gymnasium, as well as the sales of our tonics, foodstuffs, and consultations at Parker and Parker, Herbalists! I must say that the Parker family has turned Sanditon into a city, though a small one, of health and wellness!”
Arthur wiped his eyes, and nodded. “Thank you, dear Sisters, for I do concur, and I am quite restored.”
“Long live Sanditon!” chorused Mr. and Mrs. Parker.
Diana inclined her head, despite her lightheadedness, to her brother. “There is no need to worry, Arthur, for there is still much for us all to consider. We may not have the only masseur on the Sussex coast, but all is not lost.” She gave a great smile, despite hints of imminent spasmodic bile. “Now, if we could only divine mineral springs here too, close by the seashore, we could build and operate a bathhouse for immersion and other medicinal purposes! Thomas and Susan, you must agree!”
Sidney laughed until he cried.