The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-08-22
Brief EpistIeS.

It has often occurred TO us that an
amusing brochure might be made by CLEAN
ing from the correspondence and sayings
of certain persons, like Wellington, noted
for their laconic style, collection of me-
morable remarks and epistles. Brevity
is the soul Of w.t." says Hamlet, and yet
when made point of-that is, studied and
affected brevity-it is far, indeed, from
being q beauty, either in speaking or
writing. Horace ridicules this error in
BreuiS eSse ldJ0ro "-1 make great effort
to be brief, aud the consequence is that l
am unintelligiblc. Wilberforce was of the
same opinion. He once observed to a
friend, +" Do not curtail too much; porta-
BILE soup must be diluted before it can be
used"
One of the best specimens of the laconic
style was Welington's reply to an officers
long winded application for permission TO
remain in England when his regiment was
ordered to India. 1t consisted Of three
words: "Sail or sell. Wellington" Quite
as good was Sir Charles Napier's an
nouncement Of his victory" Peccavi y
I have Scinde. The laconic correspond
ence between Grant and Sheridan when
Lee was retreating from Richmond was as
good as Putnam's reply to the British
commander who threatened retaliation in
case the Connecticut general hung GER
tain spy he had caught. Said Sheridan !:
81 think, if things arc pushed, we can
drive them them to the WALL" Said Grant
"Push things" Strict Old Put wrote
in answer to tho English officer that the
man in question was tried as & spy, con-
demned as spy, and you may rest as
sured will be hanged as a spy. T. S. " lie
is hanged"
The following correspondence appeared
during the fourth year of our late war
"1o President Davis: You must send
me reInforcements, or | shall not be able
to hold out against the enemy.
BEAUREGARD."
"T0 General Beauregard: cannot send
YOU reTnforcements. | want reinforce
ments myself. JEFFERSON DAVIS"
Some of our young readers may not
have heard Of the famous letters which
passed between the adverse chiefs OF
| O'Connell and Tyronne:
"Pay me my tribute, or if you don't
O'CoNSELL."
81 owe you no tribute, and if did -
i. "O'NIEL."
The poet Rogers used to relate story
of the brevity Of Tallyrand's correspond
ence; for, once lady friend wrote hin
in terms Of the deepest grief, informing
him of the death of her husband, and OK
pecting long letter Of coincidence in re-
turn: but the eminent Minister'S answer
was only:
"Helas Madame, -Yotre affcctionne
etc. TALLYRAND."
In less than a twelvemonth the same
lady wrote that she had married again, tx
which the laconic reply was:
ooh! Oh! Madame
"Votre atIectionne, etc.
TALLYEAND."
The same poet had another good story
about an American lady. To his brief IN
vitation,
evil YOU come to breakfast to-mor
row, SAMUEL ROGERS,
She replied:
Wont |? e. D..
Almost as good as the answer of Mar.
Stoddard, of Weathersfeld, Connecticut
to her clerical sutton, who lived in neigh
boring town. As she could not give hin
an answer when he proposed, he requested
| that she would take week for conSldera
! ton, and then send her answer by letter
! On the eighth day it appeared, and it
: undoubtedly the most laconic epistle eve
: peuned. Here is the model letter, whicl
was soon followed by wedding:
: "Rev. Stephen Mix,-Yes.
"MARY SToDDARD."
The matrimonial Mixture took place o.
the first day Of December, A. D. 1876.
Equally laconic, and more kindly thar
Talyrand's correspondence, was that whicl
passed between Garrick's widow and Ed
mund Kean the elder, after the old lady
had seen the latter's performance of a par
in which her celebrated husband wa
matchless:
"My Dear Sir,-You cant play Abe
Drugger.
"Yours faithfully,
&c. GARRIcK."
4 To which the modern RoScius laconi
cally replied
"My Dear Madam,-I know it.
g YOurs very faithfully