Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-10

One Of the penalties that have to be paid by
persons who achieve any reputation, however
trifling, or who occupy any public or official
position. however humble. is that most dis
agreeable and troublesome infection of letters
from all kinds of unknown correspondents.
There are numerous persons who think that
because man or woman has written a book or
signed a letter or an article in a newspaper or
magazine, or holds any Office, whether it be
honorary or salaried. he or she is bound to re-
ply to any request and to answer by return of
post any string OF questions. however numer-
Gus or frivolous they may be- If these letters
of inquiry remain unanswered the senders not
unfrequently assume an injured tone, and COM
PLAIN loudly of the dscOrteous silence of those
persons whom they had not the slightest moral
! or legal right to trouble with their correspon-
dence
The infection of letters of inquiry of the Kind
mentioned on literary persons whose time is
money and whose oycrw0rked brains require
every moment of rest tnat can lie secured. be-
comes a very serious evil: it is less So though
still most troublesome. in the case OF official
pcrsonayes who can command the assistance al
paid secretaries, to whom these letteTc ATE
relegated. The evil is not unfreqGently intcnsi-
fled by the letters being written in cramped.
iIlegibIc handwriting that requires great sscrl
flee of time and trouble, and consequently
temper. to deciphcr. The address is not un-
frequently perfectly unreadabie. and the sigma
tare OF the sender il often a heroglyphic.
To persons who are much troubled with letters
from unknown correspondents. the mere cost Of
stationery and the postage Of replies costs
very considerable SuHlSO much SO that HaHL
official peisonages follow the example of the
prime minister and reply on post cards and
others take no notice whatever Of letters from
strangers. unless they contain stamped and
directed envelopes in which the replies can be
enclosed.
When persons write a stranger asking for
some information or favor. the least that they
should do is to render the trouble necessarily
given as little irksOme as is possible. The letter
Oh inquiry should be as short as consistent with
c,eaInesS it should not touch en- a multiplicity
OF SUBJECTS, but contain one or two definite
questions, which nav be- answered suCcinctiy.
The epis:le should be most legby written. the
name and address If the writer being especially
plain. An envelope fully addressed and
stamped shoult: be enclosed. and this should he
of business size. and not the awkward Shape
now in vogue. which will take netting hut a
sheet of ladies' note paper.
If the letter of inquiry is sent abroad. it
should be remembered that English stamps. if
put on the enclosed envelope to pay ior~es re-
turn, are perfectly useless, as though they will
frank any letter addressed from England to a
country in the postal union. they Will not pay
for the postage of Il reply back to this country.
and even if removed they are in all probability
useless to the person to whom they are sent. as
they are not current in the country.
1t may be thought that the enclosure of
stamps to prepay replies is trivial matte
not worth mentioning; but pennies soon accu-
mulate into sliilings. and shiings into pounds.
and 1T is rather trying to the good nature Of a
writer to be asked net only to give his time to
replying to letters that he really ought not to be
troubled with. but also to pay for their trans
mission by post.
Another subject worth mentioning in cDnncc-
ton with this matter is the extremely foolish
nature oft!ie quries not unfrequcnti; forwarded
to literary persons, and in particular to the eii
tors OF papers Questions sent that the sl lit-
est. effort of mind or memory would have shown
to De quite unnecessary. Addresses are inquired
for that may be seen in the directory to be found
in every office or bridesmaids shop. The editor
Is constantly requested to obtain information
that the parties writing tG,:ld with equal facility
obtan for themselves. He is addressed as if he
We're at once ubiquitous and omniscient. of be-
ing everywhere and knowing everything, and
should the eXigences of his iabors, or the time
taken to make the necessary inquiries TO give a
correct answer delay his reply to the question
forwarded to him, he not unfrequentIy receives
an angry letter to demand the reason why an
answer has not been at once inserted.
The evils complained Of are not done of
malice f,,7a7.se, but simply from want of
thought. 1t only requires a little more of that
courteous consideration for the comfort and
convenience Of others which is the character
istlc OF true gentiiity. to render the amount of
enforced correspondence less rhSome to those
WHO are often most unwiilingly subjected to it,
and this courtesy will be found Of equal advan-
taTe to both parties. as, if exercised by the in
quifer. it will generally insure reply. when q
more imperative demand would have remained
unanswered. -LO,iciOn Queen