, 1865-02-17

using it takes this trouble, it is not too
much TO expect something like it from
"smalI deer" However, it is their bu-
siness-they choose between a fair read
ing and the waste basket.
We have written from a professional
point of view. But in private life Lord
Palmerston's lecture will be found equal
ly valuable. He says hat we ought to
be able to read writing without trouble
or delay, or the letter fails of its object
by "disgusting'' the person to whom 1t Is
addressed. The word is not too strong.
It may be remarked that the ELIGIBILITY
Of writing usually increases with the i'm
portance of the request conveyed, or at
least with the earnestness of the writer.
He will not "take time that he may write
shortly" nor will he write slowly that he
may write clearly. He, in a rage, or in a
fever Of Impotence, scrawls and scrib-
bles, and repeats himself, makes inser-
tions, and poStscripts, and "baIloons,"
and expects you to bring all your energy
to the discovery Of his meaning, and all
your calmness to separate his wheat from
his chat Now, there are very few peO-
pie in the world who have a right to de-
mand this sort Of service from others.
There are few, whose letters we should
study as if they were ancient inscriptions,
concealing mysteries. But they are very
few, and it will be well for most people
to make up their minds, once foraII, that
they are not Of the number. They may
also assure themselves that q note of
more than two sides must be very IeglbIy
written to insure its being thoroughly
mastered, as regards meaning and spirit,
except by a reader who has something to
hope or to fear from the writer. We
have no doubt that a great many persons
who read these statements will sniff IN
dignantly, and say that what they take
the trouble to write others might take
the trouble to read. For them, we beg
leave, in all good-humour, to recall the
reply of the Yankee to the querist, who
asked, "What might your name be?' at
might be Nebuchadnezzar-bat it amt"
People might take the trouble to read a
bad scrawl-but they DONE.
Some unwlse folk may think the ques-
ton of handwriting q Jrlhe. 70 them let
us quote Paley, who declares that nothing
is a trife which affects the comfort Of ma
ny. Life is made up OF triAeS, and read
ing letters is among them. Few persons
of any station pass a day without having
to read a letter, most persons have TO
read many. Why is this business to be'made
a bore? Lord Palmerston is one of the
most practical men in the world, and has
TO deal with larger subjects than almost
any other man in the world, and he does
not think it beneath him, the Prime Min
lister of England, to tell people to write a
large hand, and form all their letters well.
He has his smart criticism upon writing
masters writing, (which looks like an
area railing, a little lying on one side"
The lesson which the Premier has conGe-
scended to teach, we, for our parts, are
by no means too proud to reiterate and
to enforce. We hope that it will be tax
en- to heart-and to hand. That atroci-
Gus invention called ga commercial hand
writing ought to be an affair for the po-
lice but it is not much worse than the
debilitated scribble of certain of the up
per classes, who, like Hamlet, before lie
saved his life by caIigraphy, hold it a
baseness to write fair" We incline TO
offer suggestion. Let Lord Palmerston
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