New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-26
BY ANNA BIRD STEWART

own personality, the object of all letters, but
also TO express that of the person for whom
he was inditing the letter Some cntcrpris-
ing students have estimated the time that
his tavoritc heroine, Clarissa lIarlowc. must
have spent. not alone 90 write the lengthy
miSsiveS Richardson ascrbcd 20 her, but "a
do all the things she relates. as well.
Hcroincs of fiction need much less sleep
than do the poor mortals who read about
them. Judged by the standard Clarissa
sets, perhaps letter writing is not quite all
il used 20 be. Richardson. it must bc adj
mitted. had an inllllng of the same thing;
for he apologies for the extreme length of
his novels with the exclamation that the real
charm of letters hes IN the unrestricted out
pouring of the writer's soul at the very mo-
mcnt when it is still "agitated by hopes and
fears
How often have all of us had an inspira-
ton 20 write 20 some near friend al the very
moment when things were happening in
quick succession How often have we put il
off. only TO find later on that there was moth
ing 20 say We might have caught the elusive
flavor of the moment, have sent 20 on
friend a breath OF real life a Whit Of the at
mospherc in which we are living; but when
we do get 20 the actual writing we have
nothing left but a blank memory.
Longfellow voiced a general emotion IN
one of his letters no less surely than he did
IN his poems. at is so long since | wrote
you last that am heartily ashamed TO think
of it. Let us make believe that | am a good
and punctual correspondent, and then
shall have courage to proceed.
No less famous a letter writer than Charles
Lamb at one time in his life had occasion %
apologize for not writing 20 his friends
"You must think me brute beast, rhi-
noceros, he begins one long-deferred letter.
Indeed, am none of these shocking things
but have arrived at that indisposition TO
letter writing which would make 1t hard
exertion TO write three lines to a King %
spare a friends life
Few of us are able 90 put into our own
feelings toward some negligent friend the
same sympathetic understanding that ami
mated George Eliot when she wrote "Don't
write unless YOU have a real desire TO gossip
with me a little about yourself, and our
mutual friends. You know | always like
TO have news of you, but | shall not think
you unltind: | shall only think you have
other things to do, if you are silent
i 90 not Ike SIuLllcCoIh Ocllt9lloil-
dences, says James Russell Lowell. what
is the use Of our loving people, II they can
let us owe them a letter, II they can't be
sure we keep on loving them II we don't
keep sending an acknowledgment under our
hands and seals once a month"; As If there
could be a statute of limitation for affection
The moment Love begins 20 think Of duty,
he may as well go hang himself with his own
bowstring.
The secret of letter writing is as elusive
as that Of charm. Many a person Of learn
ing and of facility in writing lacks the in
formal, personal touch that makes a letter
delightful; many a ore Of little education
but with keen observation and ready SYM
pathy, has the gift divine.
THE best way 20 learn TO write letters IS to
write them, just as the way 70 learn &c
play the piano IS 20 practise. The best way
to write Interestingly IS TO be interesting
Have a personality that is worth expressing.
Only take care TO express it with some re-
serve and consideration for the person %
whom YOU write.
The gifted letter writer viii select the de-
tails as well as the general style with a view
20 what the recipient viii most enjoy
Nf-.f,.- T~..f,.- f..f- homo rt-f'f iff-a