y
illustrated than by this hail-fellow-well-met letter, written by the
scholar and poet:--

"MARKETHILL, WOODBRIDGE, _Wednesday_.

"Now then, Posh, here is a letter for you, sooner than you looked for,
and moreover you will have to answer it as soon as you can.

"I want you to learn from your friend _Dan Fuller_ what particulars
you can about that Lugger we saw at Mutford Bridge. Draft of Water,
Length of Keel, What sails and Stores; and what _Price_; and any other
Questions you may think necessary to ask. If the man here who has a
notion of buying such a Vessel to make a Yacht of on this river sees
any hope of doing so at a reasonable rate, and with a reasonable hope
of Success, he will go over next week to look at the Vessel. He of
course knows he would have to alter all her inside: but I told him
your Opinion that she would do well _cutter rigged_.

"So now, Poshy, do go down as soon as is convenient, to Dan, and stand
him _half a pint_ and don't tell him what you are come about, but just
turn the conversation (in a _Salvaging_ sort of way) to the old Lugger
and get me the particulars I ask for. Perhaps Dan's heart will
open--_over Half a Pint_--as yours has been known to do. And if you
write to me as soon as you can what you can learn, why I take my
Blessed Oath that I'll be d---d if I don't stand you Half a Pint, so
help me Bob, the next time I go to Lowestoft. I hope I make myself
understood.

"The _Elsie_ is being gutted, and new timbered, and Mr. Silver has
bought a new dandy of forty tons, and Ablett Percival" (cf. spelling
in other letters) "is to be Captain. I think of going down the river
soon to see Captain Newson. I have been on the River To-day and
thought that I should have been with you on the way to Yarmouth or
Southwold if I had stayed at Lowestoft. Instead of which I have been
to the Lawyer here.

"Good-bye, Poshy, and believe me always yours to the last Half Pint.

"E. FG.

"I enclose a paper with my questions marked, to which you can add
short answers."

Dan Fuller was the builder of the _Meum and Tuum_. His son is still
living, and a well-known mechanic in Lowestoft. Mutford Bridge will be
better recognised as the bridge at Oulton Broad.

Once again FitzGerald chuckles at the morality of the "salwagers," and
chuckles again at the expansiveness of the East Anglian "half a pint,"
w