But we had scarce given our orders before the door opened, and a tall young fellow entered with something of a lurch, looked about him, and approached the same table.
'Give you good evening, most grave and reverend seniors!' said he.

'Will you permit a wanderer, a pilgrim--the pilgrim of love, in short--to come to temporary anchor under your lee?
I care not who knows it, but I have a passionate aversion from the bestial practice of solitary feeding!' 'You are welcome, sir,' said I, 'if I may take upon me so far to play the host in a public place.' He looked startled, and fixed a hazy eye on me, as he sat down.
'Sir,' said he, 'you are a man not without some tincture of letters, I perceive! What shall we drink, sir ?' I mentioned I had already called for a pot of porter.
'A modest pot--the seasonable quencher ?' said he.

'Well, I do not know but what I could look at a modest pot myself! I am, for the moment, in precarious health.

Much study hath heated my brain, much walking wearied my--well, it seems to be more my eyes!' 'You have walked far, I dare say ?' I suggested.
'Not so much far as often,' he replied.

'There is in this city--to which, I think, you are a stranger?
Sir, to your very good health and our better acquaintance!--there is, in this city of Dunedin, a certain implication of streets which reflects the utmost credit on the designer and the publicans--at every hundred yards is seated the Judicious Tavern, so that persons of contemplative mind are secure, at moderate distances, of refreshment.