The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-09-06
One OF THE BusHwHAcKERs

LETTER WRITING. There is peshaps ne
one thing the practice of which will more
surely improve an individuals mind or tai
ents than habit of correct letter writing
II is to be regretted that SO much disregard
Of all rule is shown in the composition o
private letters from friend to friend A clio.
ser attention to matter and style would result
in uatold benefit, and many times ward of
reflections Of an unpleasant character. W.
clip the following from the New York Even
ing Gazette;
There are very few good correspondent
in this country. The majority of men con
fine themselves to business notes and cur
remarks on the weather, perhaps, or unin
teresting generalities, glad to get a necessary
nuisance out Of the way, and annoyed at the
interruption Of their business calculations
As to the ladies, they are apt to think let
ter to~A friend must be an essay on some
sentiment, or flower, or scenery. and they
are continually using s''tis," and twas, y
aud SEER" and all the other sweet little
abreviatiuns exactly as they do not talk
and as they would not Wish to be talked
to. Finished correspondence is an accomp.
lishment to which foreigners pay much
more attention than we do. A handsome
hand writing is the first essential, bnt not the
most i'm portant one Of elegant correspond
ence. A legible handwriting, however, is alb
solutely necessary, for no man or woman ha,
a right to infict upon friend the perusai o.
almost unintelligble scnwls. The CORES.
pondence of Rufus Choat could never have
been elegant whatever else it may have been
If any supposed that Greeley could unde,
any circumstances be /" elefant,,' his chirog
raphy would preclude the idea in regard te
his correspondence. Considerable sport ha.
been made in England BY sproposal to dis
franchise the illegihle writer's" Several o.
the high government of6eers. it is said, would
be the victims of such law.
The most common mistake in regard tc
private correspondence is that the subjec,
should be matter Of special importance and
"worth writing about, as the phrase is. Ii.
tie personal incidents and surroundings
rather than great thoughts are what q friend
enjoys reading about. Tell where you have
been, what you are doing, what you are 20
ing to do and where you are going. Talk
about whom you have seen, the last opera,
the latest fashions if you like, anything
of your Surroundings and daily occupa-
tons. All this may seem small work and
Of little interest at first thought but If the
reader will look to his or her own exper
fence, he or she will End that such have been
the most delightful letters to receive, and the
most eagerly anticipated. Such letters, too,
are the kind that have given reputation to
the celebrated ''letterwriters" Of literature,
and tits in these peculiarities that their bril-
liancy and the value Of their works may be
found. Do not strive to write an essay when
you write private letter, such letters are te-
dious. stupid and uninteresting. They are
inelegant, too, because they are inappropri>
ate. The ladies Is rule, in spite OF their
tendency to poetry and moonshine, are far in
advance of the gentlemen, in this country, at
least, in the propriety and neatness of their
private letter,writing. The old advice is d.,
ways good and always needed-write As you
would talk. We nevert talk sentiment to each
other; we never talk long descriptions. The
mechanical part Of letter.writing, too, is by
no means unimportant, if person desires to
be elegant. A tasteful SELECTION Of paper. 4
neatly folded sheet, proper envelope, cor.
rect address, and appropriate superscription,
arc all alittle things and like many other
little things, they are very important.