The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-03-29
GOSSIP With Our Readers,

Very few people are good letter Wri-
ters. 1t is remarkable, considering the
impoi tance Of the subject, that so little
attention is paid to what should be
portion of every thorough education.
In business letters, the wrong use of
words may convey an idea utterly at
variance with the writer's intention,
and cause pecuniary loss to himself or
to others. The requirements of good
business letter are few; brevity, and
omprehensiyeness are all that are ne
cessary. To express the meaning fully
in the fewest possible words should be
the aim, and yet how very many letters
do neither the one nor the other. A
long struggling epistle badly worded
and obscure in sense is invariably pro-
ductive of irritation on the part of the
recipient and frequently leads to an
answering letter for more definite in
formation. Inferior letters are not con-
fined to the uneducated and dull many
men who talk smoothly and express
themselves clearly enough in words
utterly fail to do so with their pens.
The reason is plain; they have never
been taught, nor made any attempts to
reduce their writing to system. 1t
would be of inestimable value to the
world of trade, if thorough instruction
in this branch were made q part of the
education of those intending to engage
in mercantile life.
When we come to social, friendly or
general letters, men as a rule fall far
beneath women. A man in love can
perhaps spoil more paper than his be
loved one, but he is acting under strong
pressure and can hardly be taken as an
example. The average man does not
write a bright gossipping letter-his
business habits lead him to too much
conciseness. Women on the contrary
seem especially fitted for the work
they touch upon triiles-things which
men deem unworthy of notice-and
thereby put into pleasing shape, facts
and fancies which.give spice and zest tc
their letters. There is no one accom-
plishment which women possess which
deserves to be rated higher than that o
letter writing. 1t is not to be supposed
that women write only of trifles; on tn,
contrary they possess special aptitude
in their treatment of the better impulse
and passions which sway human nature
No love letters are so perfect as those
women, but even in them the little dc
tails which mans coarSer perception
fail to note, are all recorded. There ar
4 some men, authors and those Of literar
g tastes, who write well, but they, c
Q course, are apart from ordinary mer
a The business of their lives is writing
l and facility of expression, ease an
= grace come to them by constant stud
i and practice. rhe published letters
accomplished men aud women are moo
els which those really desirous of exec
u lence in writing, should carefully follow
There is no more hope of a person b.
y coming an adept In the art of expressio
T. on paper without earnest study, tina
# there is In his acquiring knowledge
IS a foreign language without recourse
books of that language.
h Young people should be taught Il
1. principles of letter writing in schoo
50 and colleges; it is Of vastly more in
Ii portance than the many literary od
,s and ends with which their minds a
10 too often crammed.
r. Letter writing brings its own rewa
1, and is doubly pleasing; to him WI
to writes and him who receives. An
ID worded, badly framed conglomerati
le of words is production neither cred
lt able. nor pleas urable, and only wort
place in the waste basket.