Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-04-04
HOW TO WRITE 1RrrsRa


And when this is effected, the last plea
for the franking privilege will be abol-
ished. A letter that is "not worth q
cent" need not be franked, certainly.
Meanwhile It occurs to rs to question
whether the mails are used half so
freely rs they should be. Are there
not thousands of people who might
write, and ought to do 1t, but neglect
it. A single line from an absent friend
or connexion would often save anS-
iety, If not pain and unhappiness. But
with many persons writing is a dreaded
task ; and there are others who invest
the act Of pcnning a letter with such
nm air of formality, that they dislike to
touch pen to paper. Writing should
be as easy as talking in q land Of cheap
postage and free schools. But it Is
very well after all to be more careful
how you write than how you speak;
and the habit of writing letters reacts
on expression in conversation, making
speech more guarded and correct. A
good letter-writer is generally a good
talker. Many letters are very unsatis-
factory, from the neglect Of a few OBJ
vious rules. Perhaps readers will
tolerate the recapitulation Of a few
simple hints upon matters small, but
really important. Nobody now needs
all the minor rules that should be OBJ
served, though eyerybody's letter
would be more satisfactory for atten-
ton even to minute particulars. First,
then, rs to date. If you live where
streets are numbered, give street and
number rs we'll as the town, and fin
the country give Postofflce. county and
State. The day Of the week, as well
as the day Of the month and the year
should be specified. Many may de-
pend on a date, and the day of the
week often serves to verify or correcta
careless figure. Write your signature
carefully, legibly and fully. Form the
habit, and ARE Is as easy rs careless
ness. 10 n friend who knows your
writing no signature is necessary. But
a stranger is often puzzled by the hope
less ambiguity Of the marks which are
supposed to represent q mans name.
Be particular about the direction also,
giving in writing exact and easily read
the residence offs correspondent. And
next rs to subject matter. Ifbusiness,
let it be clearly expressed. If yours
is the opening letter, state intelligibly
what you wish to propose: antieipa-
ting such inquiries as your correspond
ent will probably desire to have an
swered. If your letter is n reply to
another, let your correspondent see
what is your understanding of his let
ter. In the careful times of Il fore
fathers, n letter usually commenced
with n recapitulation Of the points TO
be replied to. We can hardly expect
such eXactness in these days Of hurry ;
but where there is any chance to I'M
derstand n thing in two ways, your
correspondent should be advised which
way you apprehend his words. Do
not travel ont Of the record to say un-
necessary things, which You may be
called upon to substantiate. And
while paper, envelopes and postage
are so cheap, do not mix business and
gossip. Apropos, Of gossip. In writ
ing friendly letters, time permitting,
say all the pleasant things You can of
persons mutually known to you and
your correspondent. But whatever
gall is In your ink chemically, meta
| phorically keep all bitterness out,
Never scold by post, for the bitter let
ter may be the last you will write, or
your friend may die, before you have
the opportunity by personal magnet
ism to remove the cruel effect Of I'M
kind words written. Harsh writing
has II horrid look ; and things which
you may speak without ofiense, when
written, seem objectionable. Above
all, except in cases of absolute neces-
sity, do not write III Of a third person,
or put your hand to n letter which may
make mischief past remedy. 1t is UNI
safe to talk badly about people, much
more to write about them in that style.
The friendly letteris the very place for
egotism. i fyou think q person wishes
to hear from you, you may justly con-
clude that he desires to hear and to
know all about you. Show your inter-
est In your correspondent BY inquiries
and comments concerning him and
his; but do yourself the justice to
suppose that lie is interested in you
also. Convey information about what
ever concerns you, If the subject be q
proper one to write about at all; talk
OH paper as you might talk by word
Of mouth. But remember always that
there are some things which should
never he written, though they may be
spoken. Words are forgotten. but the
written letter remains. The art Of
letter-writlng should receive more at.
tention than 1t usually obtains In
schools. What Is called "composition"
Is often the merest waste Of time. The
unlucky pupil does not know what to
say, or how to say it. Let him or her
be required, instead, to write q letter
to somebody once a week, and 4 facility
and correctness will be acquired which
will be useful through life. An object
Is before the writer of a letter definite
and distinct; while in too many cases
a school composition is n dreary
waste of words, or a childish burlesque
upon authorship. Few, comparatively,
write for the press. All should write
letters. And whoever can succeed in
e~pistolary writing can also turn his
mind to any other style Of compost