Show HOOD AS A LETTER WRITER altogether del gotful ep cred cited to the author of the song of the sh rt thomas hood author of the song of t the he shirt wrote some delightful letters to children here is one to his little friend may dated july 1 1844 it if you m ant a joke you might push h ania ni n i into fato ohp sea dud and then fish for him as they do for a jack but don t go in yo and don t let the baby go in and sv im away although he is the shump of the family did you ever taste the sea water the fishes are 0 fond of it they keep drinking it all the day long dip your little finger in ana and then suck it to see how it tastes A glass of it warm with sugar and a grate of nutmeg would quite astonish you the water of the sea is so saline I 1 wonder nobody catches salt fish in it I 1 should think a good way would be to go out in a butter boat with a little melted for sauce have you been bathed et in the sea and were you afraid I 1 was the first time and the time be fore that and dear me how I 1 kicked and screamed or at least meant to scream but the sea ships and all be gan to run into my mouth and so I 1 shut it up I 1 I 1 see you being dipped in the sea screwing your eyes up and putting your nose like a button into your mouth like a buttonhole for fear of getting another smell and taste by the bye did you ever dive your head under water and try alth wl eth er you could cry quack some am ani mals can I 1 would try but there is no sea here and so I 1 am forced to dip into books I 1 wish there were such nice green hills here as there are at sandgate Sand gate they must be very nice to roll down especially if there are no furze bushes to prickle one at the hot torn do you remember how the thorns stuck in us like a penn orth of mixed pins at wanstead I 1 have been very ill and am so thin now I 1 could stick myself into a prickle my legs in particular are so wasted away that somebody says my pins are only needles and I 1 am so weak I 1 dare say you could push me down on the floor and right through the carpet unless it was a strong pat tern |