Ah, but Senor!" exclaimed the niece, "your Grace should send them to be burned along with the rest; for I shouldn't wonder at all if my uncle, after he has been cured off this chivalry sickness, reading one of these books, should take it into his head to become a shepherd and go wandering through the woods and meadows singing and piping, or, what is worse, become a poet, which they say is an incurable disease and one that is very catching.
The niece expresses her concern about her uncle, Don Quixote, and the influence of chivalric books on his actions. She suggests that rather than just disregarding them, he should destroy these books entirely to prevent further madness. She fears that if he continues reading, he might abandon his noble aspirations to pursue a life of simplicity, such as becoming a shepherd, or worse, take up poetry, which she considers a troublesome affliction.
This quote highlights the niece's humorous frustration with her uncle's obsession with chivalry and her belief that such literature could lead to a decline in reason. It reflects the broader theme of the novel, which critiques the idealism found in such stories, suggesting that they can lead people away from reality and into whimsical pursuits that may not serve them well.
