Marble Hill press., 1894-01-25
A Chapter on Correspondence.

1t is well known that the art OF let
ter writing is an art by itself: that 1t
is an index of the culture OF the
writer and carries his personality in
more ways than one. A letter may
be written by very scholarly per-
son, who has travelled and seen much
of the world, and yet fail where the
letter is concerned. AID. on the other
hand, a person may have but little
education and spare observation and
still excel in correspondence.
Men as class are terse and concise
on paper. and the ordinary letter does
not lengthen in their case. Whole
chapters can be said BY the pen in a
page or two, so far as they are con-
cerned, except in the case of love
letter, when both men and wo men
view the letter in another sense
There is no doubt that women are
more gifted as letter writers than
men: they are vivacious naturally, , and
possess that social gayety and light
ness of touch which are part of an
epistle's charm. All young wo men
delight in a voluminous correspond
ence. 1t is regarded as an important
social function, and keeps them in
view BY those whom distance separ
ates
For the mere manner of the letter,
every season brings us new fashion
in note and letter paper A high
class stationer mentions the Worces-
ter, gray wove, and antique parch
| ment as among some of the best in
! vogue at the moment The envelopes
may be square or oblong as prefer
ence dictates, with. however, a fash
| iona BILE leaning toward the former.
Ruled paper betrays an ignorance
of social customs and in reality be-
longs to children and uneducated per.
sons, who cannot write without lires
For headings of stationery taste
differ, and considerable choice, any
of which is permissible, is offered O.
the shops of known authorities in
such matters 4 crest, coat of arms
a monogram, or merely the initials or
addresses are all used, taste only stip
ulating there shall be nothing garisl
or outre. Elegance sanctions nothing
like red paper with black lettering, o,
green and gold. or any similar daz
zling combinations A few pale tint:
| and some slightly roughened surface
are not Objectionable. but as rule
smooth white or cream paper is the
safest choice 1t may be added tina
there are unwritten laws of suitabilit,
in this matter, as in most things, ant
an exaggerated elegance and -four
ish of stationery on the part of pei
sons in modest circumstances add
want of taste to waste of money.
The etiquet of letter writing is al
most without emo. First we are toll
that the letter sent on business shoul
have stamp and envelope inclosed
an answer is ex oected at an earl
date. Then every letter either {
business or otherwise, should be ar
swered promptly. 1t is not considere
form to begin letter with an apolog
for not writing, that is, expressed d
rectly, and some particular lettel
writers always slip the opening ser
tence about SO that that pronoun 81
shall not be the openi ng word Al
| other rule is the avoidance of -four
. ishes and eccentricities of haudwri
ing.
Postal cards are to be employed TO
. business message or an inferior.
polite society their usefulness extend
no further.
4 There is a distinction, too, in tn
matter Of address. Dear Mrs Hor
lxins" showing a less degree Of int
macy than My Dear Mr& Hopkins
These forms are. however. quite |,
often used inserchanscably. such us
not being regarded In the light of
helnous oaense. There b . cersaI
initiative courtssy In the KNOWN
when 70 drop The formal sDear Sir
and .near Mndnm.a \ art of r>~o~n