The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-30 00:00:00

Hints to Private Secretaries.

The installation of a new Government, whose
members are not experienced in official ways and
duties, is a fitting occasion for offering a few re-
marks on what should be the conduct of private
secretaries. A private secretary should always bear
in mind that he is a buffer. That is his chief use.
He is the shadow of the great man he serves, but a
shadow with powers of resistance, and he will very
much mistake his duty if he do not strenuously, and
at all times, oppose those powers to the approaches
of vulgar men who want interviews. In short, in
the laboratory of the Minister the private secretary
must be a non-conductor. IVere that inherent
quality wanting, the shocks which his chief might
receive could not fail of annoying. Bearing this in
mind, the private secretary will remember that, as
long as his master keeps in his own room, he (the
secretary) is as good a man as his chief ; he will,
therefore, not fail to assert that conviction by all
those airs and pretensions which he clearly imagines
must be the distinctive marks of high office. Starting
from his own original tendencies that way, he will try
and soar to that pitch of dignity which he conceives
must be reached by any man who has risen so high in
the scale as his chief. For the sake of consistency, If
from no higher motive, the private secretary will
never so far forget himself as to go out at once to
any person who has called to see him. " Surely,'
he will say, "no man can appear a great man if he
does not keep his suitors waiting in the antecham-
ber ; and, although I am only reading the Times,
were I to go at once they would think I had very
little to do ; whereas it is well known I am over-
whelmed with acknowledgments of receipt." This
is a v cry proper frame of mind, and though it DIV
not expedite business, it will maintain official re-
putation, which is far more important. on similar
grounds, when the interview does take place, we
trust there are few private secretaries who would
demean themselves so far as to understand at once
what the person wants. The simpler the question,
the more unimportant the matter most probably is ;
and if it were supposed that private secretaries could
carry trifles in their heads, and were not weighed
down by the mass of their State secrets, the conse-
quences of such an impression would be most disas-
trous. Let everyprivate secretary misunderstand once
or twice, and after havingiu an absent manner forced
the applicant to repeat himself several times, then
tell him that he will make inquiries, and leave the
room as though to make them. A secretary should
never see anybody in his own room. It would be
most inconvenient. His cigar and newspaper would
diminish the awe he ought to inspire, and he would
be depriving himself of the power of retreat. Write
all your private letters at the office ; this saves
money, and will help to pass the time. To make up
for the trifling expense thus incurred by the country,
a private secretary should always remember that, by
putting his official letters aside, half of them will
answer themselves. He will thus, by a judicious
delay, spare both himself and the public purse. A
wise discretion should ever be exercised as to what
letters it is necessary for your chief to see. As a
general rule, nobody out of official circles who le
not an M.P. or a peer can possibly have anything,
to write worth reading. Letters from " nobodies''
should be consigned to the waste-paper basket.
If a secretary wishes to be very efficient he should
first just look at the end, take the name, and send an
acknowledgment. No particular care need be ob-
served as to accuracy of names ; on the contrary, 3
good effect is produced by a misdirection, which is a
sign of overwhelming work, and the trouble to the
Post-office is of little account. For the information
of any new and excited private secretary, we real
add that it is not necessary to keep copies of simple
acknowledgments, nor will long and pompous
phrases go down with the permanent officials who'll
he will find in the department, however much they
may tell with the general public. But it is in society
that the private secretary will best use his opportu-
nities. By familiar use of the names of the princi-
pal Cabinet Ministers, and a skilful air of mystery
adjusted to the face whenever politics are mooted,
he must indeed be a clumsy young man who does
not succeed in impressing young ladies with his own
importance and the immense services he is render-
ing the country. There is no knowing whether,
by dexterous insinuations as to the wonderful con-
tents of red boxes, he may not even so stimulate
female curiosity, anxious to know some of WO
wondrous secrets, that he may find his appointment
pave his way to matrimony.—The Owl.

The Ministerial whitebait dinner will take place
next Saturday, and Parliament will probably lib prorogued
by Royal Commission on the following Thursday,'
Observer.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury le
Downing-street. The Ministers present were—the Ball
of Derby, the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Malra°s-
- the Right Hon. Spencer H. Walpole, Lord Stauleil
the Earl of Carnarvon, General Peel, Viscount Cranboriae,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir J. Pakington, Sir S'
Northcote, Lord J. Manners, the Right Hon. Gathorne
Hardy, and Lord Naas.
THE EMPLOYES OF TIIE LONDON, CHATHAM, OD
DOVER JhAILwAY.—On Saturday morning a great number
of the employ6s of the London, Chatham, and Dover Rail-
way Company, together with their wives and families, left
Victoria at an early hour by special train, granted by t"
company, for their annual excursion to Ramsgate.
excursionists arrived at thefavourite wateringplace shortly
after nine, attended by several bands of music, and
seemed bent on making the most of the day.
ROYAL GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATIOIsr. 'The
agreeable entertainment at the Gallery of Illustration
continues a career of unabated success. There has seldom
been a piece like the " Yachting Cruise " better adapted to
enable us fully to appreciate the talents of the celebrated
trio of performers who delight the public in Regent-street.
The season, we hear, will be brought to a close about the
third week in August. Our readers, we have no d"b'
will avail themselves of the opportunity of again onic?:ll3'
the " Yachting Cruise" and the " Wedding Breakfast.