Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-04-04

ter as well as the eminent literateUSs who were popular years ago, and not so long ago, either. on account of their printed opinions on these subjects. However. on the other hand. it is an undenlable fact that society at present could often profit by occasional refer as to letter-writing, the art of it has absolutely fallen into innoeuous desue- tude.
 In colonial days letter was men tai, moral and social effort Edward Eggleston, in a lecture on colonial times, reads a letter which illustrates excellently the formality which was a social feature of the period. The letter was written from one dear colonial dame to another, and reads as follows:
 sOh, my Marcia! How hard is our fate that we should be deprived of your dear company when it would complete our felicity, but such is the fate of mortals We are never permitted to be happy. I suppose it is right, else the Supreme Dispenser of all things would never have permitted it. Ne should perhaps have been more neglectful of our duty than we are. :"
 The suited phraseology is calculated to call forth smile of derision and pity in our day of hurried communications, in which we emphasize the realism of life in our correspondence. It is q gen erally-coneeded fact, if not philo- sophical law, that from d letter more evidence is to be gained of the charac- ter of the person to whom it is written than of the writer himself The rule is fascinating one to its practical ap- plication, and you can apply it per sonally after reading your own letters written to friend, rela tive, lover or business acquaintance. Your own per sonality is naturally adjusted to the correspondence at a distance, in the same manner as your physical pres enee would be.
 The day of crossing and recrossing the paper with horizontal, 'perpendicu- lar and diagonal lines, which was a feature of two generations back and one in common use among the gentler sex, went out presumably with the re- duction in postal expense. No regrets II. and there is no danger of its revival. The up-to-date writer, however, has playful characteristics which demand mention. Since the angular style ofpen manship came into vogue letter-read- CTS have become experts in decipher- ing chirography. Amelia B. Edwards, the Egyptologist, plunged into the hier- oglyphics of the orient with success, and something of the same persistence in the present active generation has rendered it possible for the modern feminine pen to be deciphered
 The modern letter has also an enigmatieal aspect. It begins on the fourth page of the paper and continues on the pages least naturally to follow. The intelligence of its recipient re. celyes fiattering acknowledgment in a quiet way and casts about for the sequence of ideas by means of the con- text. The modern letter of correct form never has it's pages numbered. There must come reaction, and let ter-writing must again become an art. At present the obligation is not re- garded with due observance. Before the reaction comes there will be d stage when typewriter will come into the family, spring and fall, to do up the family letter-writing the same as the seamstress who comes to do up the White sewing. We have too little time to waste on letter-writing at present. But it will be fine art by and bv.- Baltimore Sun.