Posted by Peter Ceresole on November 03, 2009 at 19:30:54 user PeterC.
In Reply to: Literary allusions posted by paul on November 03, 2009 at 18:06:08:
I don't have the book to hand but I am sure it comes from very early in SA
It certainly does, in chapter II, on page 32 of my JC 1948 copy. But it's clearly a quote which is familiar to all of them. Susan asks who is going to be the doctor; 'You are,' said John .'You're the mate. It's the mate's job. He comes dancing on to the scene, "And well," says he, "and how are your legs and livers and lungs and bones afeeling now"?
It seems to me that it's a quote from some stage presentation that John assumes they all know, which is why I thought of Gilbert and Sullivan. I think Peter d'Owdon is trying to identify the original.