conversation checked herself, and corrected herself in the
pronunciation of words that were difficult to her.
A few days afterwards., I called upon her, and upon being introduced
to the parlour to wait for her appearance, I saw lying upon her table
the following:
MEMORANDUM ON THE USE OF THE LETTER H.
Pronounce--Herb, 'Erb.
" Heir, 'Eir.
" Honesty, 'Onesty.
" Honour, 'Onour.
" Hospital, 'Ospital.
" Hostler, 'Ostler.
" Hour, 'Our.
" Humour, 'Umour.
" Humble, 'Umble.
" Humility, 'Umility.
_In all other cases the H is to be sounded when it begins a word._
_Mem_.--Be careful to sound the _H_ slightly in such words as
w_h_ere, w_h_en, w_h_at, w_h_y--don't say were, wen, wat, wy.
I am happy to say that it is now a pleasure to hear Mrs. Hitching's
conversation. I only hope that others may improve as she has done.
[GLASS MANUFACTURING IN ENGLAND A.D. 1457.]
216. Conversation.
There are many talkers, but few who know how to converse agreeably.
Speak distinctly, neither too rapidly nor too slowly. Accommodate the
pitch of your voice to the hearing of the person with whom you are
conversing. Never speak with your mouth full. Tell your jokes, and
laugh afterwards. Dispense with superfluous words--such as, "Well, I
should think," etc.
[TABACCO BROUGHT TO ENGLAND FROM VIRGINIA A.D. 1588.]
217. The Woman who wishes her conversation to be agreeable
will avoid conceit or affectation, and laughter which is not natural
and spontaneous, Her language will be easy and unstudied, marked by a
graceful carelessness, which, at the same time, never oversteps the
limits of propriety. Her lips will readily yield to a pleasant smile;
she will not love to hear herself talk; her tones will bear the
impress of sincerity, and her eyes kindle with animation as she
speaks. The art of pleasing is, in truth, the very soul of good
breeding; for the precise object of the latter is to render us
agreeable to all with whom we associate--to make us, at the same time,
esteemed and loved.
[TELESCOPES INVENTED IN GERMANY A.D. 1590.]
218. Rudeness.
We need scarcely advert to the rudeness of interrupting any one who is
speaking, or to the impropriety of pushing, to its full extent, a
discussion which has become unpleasant.
219. Pedantry.
Some Men have a Mania for Greek and Latin quotations: this is
peculiarly to be avoided. It is like pulling up the stones from a tomb
wherewith to kill the living. Nothing is more wearisome than pedantry.
220. Proportion.
If you feel your Intellectual Superiority to any one with whom you are
conversing, do not seek to bear him down: it would be an inglorious
triumph, and a breach of good manners. Beware, too, of speaking
lightly of subjects which bear a sacred character.
221. Writing and Talking.
It is a Common Idea that the art of writing and the art of
conversation are one; this is a great mistake. A man of genius may be
a very dull talker.
222. Interesting Conversation.
The Two Grand Modes of making your conversation interesting, are to
enliven it by recitals calculated to affect and impress your hearers,
and to intersperse it with anecdotes and smart things. Count Antoine
Rivarol, who lived from 1757 to 1801, was a master in the latter mode.
223. Composition.
If you would write to any purpose, you must be perfectly free from
without, in the first place, and yet more free from within. Give
yourself the natural rein; think on no pattern, no patron, no paper,
no press, no public; think on nothing, but follow your own impulses.
Give yourself as you are, what you are, and how you see it. Everyman
sees with his own eyes, or does not see at all. This is
incontrovertibly true. Bring out what you have. If you have nothing,
be an honest beggar rather than a respectable thief. Great care and
attention should be devoted to epistolary correspondence, as nothing
exhibits want of taste and judgment so much as a slovenly letter.
Since the establishment of the penny postage it is recognised as a
rule that all letters should be prepaid; indeed, many persons make a
point of never taking in an unpaid letter. The following hints may be
worthy of attention:
224. Stamps.
Always put a Stamp on your envelope, at the top, in the right-hand
corner.
225. Direction.
Let the Direction be written very plain; this will save the postman
trouble, and facilitate business by preventing mistakes.
226. Postal District.
If the Address be in London add the letters of the postal district in
which it happens to be, for this also saves trouble in the General
Post Office. Thus in writing to the publishers of "Enquire Within,"
whose house of business is in the East Central (E.C.) postal district,
address your letter to Messrs. Houlston and Sons, Paternoster Square,
London, E.C.
227. Heading.
At the head of your Letter, in the right-hand corner, put your address
in full, with the day of the month underneath; do not omit this,
though you may be writing to your most intimate friend for the third
or even the fourth time in the course of a day.
228. Subject.
What you have to say in your Letter, say as plainly as possible, as if
you were speaking; this is the best rule. Do not revert three or four
times to one circumstance, but finish as you go on.
229. Signature.
Let your signature be written as plainly as possible (many mistakes
will be avoided, especially in writing to strangers), and without any
flourishes, as these do not add in any way to the harmony of your
letter. We have seen signatures that have been almost impossible to
decipher, being a mere mass of strokes, without any form to indicate
letters. This is done chiefly by the ignorant, and would lead one to
suppose that they were ashamed of signing what they had written.
230. Crossing the Page.
Do not cross your letters: surely paper is cheap enough now to admit
of using an extra half-sheet, in case of necessity.
231. Return Envelope.
If you write to a Stranger for information, or on your own business,
be sure to send a stamped envelope with your address plainly written;
this will not fail to procure you an answer.
232. Good Materials.
If you are not a good writer it is advisable to use the best ink,
paper, and pens. For although they may not alter the character of your
handwriting, yet they will assist to make your writing look better.
233. Clean and Neat.
The paper on which you write should be clean, and neatly folded.
234. Stains.
There should not be stains on the envelope; if otherwise, it is only
an indication of your own slovenliness.
235. Individual Respect.
Care must be taken in giving titled persons, to whom you write, their
proper designations.
236. Addresses of Letters.
As this branch of epistolary correspondence is one of the most
important, we subjoin a few additional hints which letter writers
generally would do well to attend to.
i. When writing several letters, place each in its envelope, and
address it as soon as it is written. Otherwise awkward mistakes may
occur, your correspondents receiving letters not intended for them.
If there be a town of the same name as that to which you are writing
existing in another county, specify the county which you mean or,
the address. Thus, Richmond, _Yorkshire_.
ii. When the person to whom you are writing is visiting or residing
at the house of another person, it is considered vulgar to put "at
Mr. So-and-So's," but simply "Mr. So-and-So's," _at_ being
understood.
iii. It is more respectful to write the word "Esquire" in full. The
----substituted for initials is vulgar, and pardonable only in
extreme cases; if the Christian name or initials of your
correspondent do not occur to you at the moment, endeavour to
ascertain them by inquiry.
iv. When addressing a gentleman with the prefix "Mr.," the Christian
name or initials should always follow, being more polite, as well as
avoiding confusion where persons of the same surname may reside in
one house.
v. In addressing a letter to two or more unmarried ladies, write
"The Misses Johnson," and not "The _Miss Johnsons_;" and, lastly,
always write an address clearly and legibly, so that it may not be
delayed in delivery, nor be missent.
237. Addresses of Persons of Rank and Distinction [1]:
238. The Royal Family.
_Superscription_.--To the Queen's (_King's_) Most Excellent Majesty.
_Commencement_.--Most Gracious Sovereign; May it please your Majesty.
_Conclusion_.--I remain, with the profoundest veneration, Your
Majesty's most faithful subject and dutiful servant.
239. Princes of the Blood Royal.
i. _The Sons and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters, Uncles and Aunts of
the Sovereign_.--_Sup._--To His (_Her_) Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales (_Princess Beatrice_).
_Comm_.--Your Royal Highness.
_Con_.--I remain, with the greatest respect (I have the honour to
be), your Royal Highness's most obedient servant.
ii. _Other branches of the Royal Family_.--_Sup._--To His Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge.
_Comm_.--Your Royal Highness.
_Con_.--I remain, with the greatest respect, your Royal Highness's
most humble and obedient servant.
240. Nobility and Gentry.
i. _Duke or Duchess.--Sup._--To His Grace the Duke (_Her Grace the
Duchess_) of Northumberland.
_Comm_.--My Lord Duke (_Madam_).
_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord Duke (_Madam_), Your
Grace's most devoted and obedient servant.
ii. _Marquis or Marchioness.--Sup._--To the Most Honourable the
Marquis (_Marchioness_) of Salisbury.
_Comm_.--My Lord Marquis (_Madam_).
_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord Marquis, Your Lordship's
(_Madam, Your Ladyship's_) most obedient and most humble
servant.
iii. _Earl or Countess.--Sup._--To the Right Honourable the Earl
(_Countess_) of Aberdeen.
_Comm_.--My Lord (_Madam_).
_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Lordship's (_Madam,
Your Ladyship's_) most obedient and very, humble servant.
iv. _Viscount or Viscountess.--Sup._--To the Right Honourable Lord
Viscount (_Lady Viscountess_) Gough.
_Comm_. and _Con_. same as Earl's.
v. _Baron or Baroness.--Sup._--To the Right Honourable Lord (_Lady_)
Rowton.
_Comm. and Con_. same as Earl's.
vi. _Younger Sons of Earls, and all the Sons of Viscounts and
Barons.--Sup._--To the Honourable Arthur Hamilton Gordon.
_Comm_.--Honoured Sir.
_Con_.--I have the honour to be, Honoured Sir, Your most obedient
and very humble servant.
vii. _Baronet and His Wife.--Sup._--To Sir Stafford Northcote, Bart.
(_Lady Northcote_).
_Comm_.--Sir (_Madam_).
_Con._--I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most humble and obedient
viii. _Knight and his Wife_.--_Sup._--To Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott
(Lady Truscott).
_Comm._ and _Con._ as preceding.
ix. _Esquire._--This title is now accorded to every man of position
and respectability, but persons entitled to superior consideration are
distinguished by "&c., &c., &c.," added to their superscription.
The wives of Gentlemen, when several of the same name are married, are
distinguished by the Christian name of their husbands, as Mrs. _John_
Harvey, Mrs. _William_ Temple.
x. _Privy Councillors_.--These have the title of _Right Honourable_,
which is prefixed to their name thus:
_Sup._--To the Right Honourable William Ewart Gladstone, M.P.
_Comm._--Sir.
_Con._--I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient very humble
servant.
[Footnote 1: Adapted from the "Dictionary of Daily Wants," published
by Houlston and Sons, Paternoster Square, E.C., in one volume, half
bound, at 7s. 6d., or in three separate volumes, cloth, each 2s. 6d.]
241. The Clergy.
i. _Archbishop_.--Sup.--To His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.
_Comm._--Your Grace.
_Con._--I remain, Your Grace's most devoted obedient servant.
ii. _Bishop_.--_Sup._--To the Right Reverend the Bishop of Winchester.
_Comm._--Right Reverend Sir.
_Con._--I remain, Right Reverend Sir, Your most obedient humble
servant.
iii. _Doctor of Divinity_.--_Sup._--To the Reverend James William
Vivian, D.D., or, To the Reverend Dr. Vivian.
_Comm._--Reverend Sir.
_Con._--I have the honour to be, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient
servant.
iv. _Dean._--_Sup._--To the Very Reverend The Dean of St. Paul's; or,
To the Very Reverend Richard William Church, M.A., D.C.L., D.D., Dean
of St. Paul's.
_Comm._--Mr. Dean; or, Reverend Sir.
_Con._--I have the honour to be, Mr. Dean (or Reverend Sir), Your
most obedient servant.
v. _Archdeacon_.--_Sup._--To the Venerable Archdeacon Hessey, D.C.L.
_Comm._--Reverend Sir.
_Con._--I have the honour to remain, Reverend Sir, Your most
obedient servant.
vi. _Clergymen_.--_Sup._--To the Reverend Thomas Dale.
_Com._ and _Con._ same as the preceding.
vii. _Clergymen with Titles_.--When a Bishop or other Clergyman
possesses the title of _Right Honourable_ or _Honourable_, it is
prefixed to his Clerical title, but Baronets and Knights have their
clerical title placed first, as in the following examples:--
_Sup._--To the Right Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop
of Bath and Wells.
_Sup._--To the Honourable and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of
Norwich.
_Sup._--To the Right Honourable and Reverend Lord Wriothesley
Russell, M.A.
_Sup._--To the Honourable and Reverend Baptist Wriothesley Noel,
M.A.
_Sup._--To the Reverend Sir Henry R. Dukinfield, Bart, M.A.
No clerical dignity confers a title or rank on the wife of the
dignitary, who is simply addressed _Mistress_, unless possessing a
title in her own right, or through her husband, independently of his
clerical rank.
242. Judges &c.
i. _Lord Chancellor_.--_Sup._--To the Right Honourable Roundell
Palmer, Lord Selborne, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.
ii. _Master of the Rolls._--_Sup._--To the Right Honourable the Master
of the Rolls.
iii. _Chief Justice_.--_Sup._--To the Right Honourable the Lord Chief
Justice; or, the Right Honourable Lord Coleridge, Lord Chief Justice
of England.
The Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas is addressed in the
same form, and are all styled _My Lord_.
iv. _Lords Justices of Appeal_.--The Lords Justices of Appeal are
Knights, and should be addressed thus:
_Sup_.--To the Right Honourable Sir W. Milbourne James, Knt.
v. _Judge of County Courts._--_Sup_.--To His Honour John James
Jeffreys, Judge of County Courts.
[A DIRTY GRATE MAKES DINNER LATE.]
243. Officers of the Navy and Army.
i. _Naval Officers._--Admirals have the rank of their flag added to
their own name and title thus:
_Sup_.--To the Honourable Sir Richard Saunders Dundas, Admiral of
the White.
If untitled, they are simply styled _Sir_.
_Commodores_ are addressed in the same way as admirals.
_Captains_ are addressed either to "Captain William Smith, R.N.;" or
if on service, "To William Smith, Esquire, Commander of H.M.S.--"
_Lieutenants_ are addressed in the same way.
ii. _Military Officers._--All officers in the army above Lieutenants,
Cornets, and Ensigns, have their military rank prefixed to their name
and title.
_Sup_.--To _General_ Sir Frederick Roberts.
_Subalterns_ are addressed as _Esquire_, with the regiment to which
they belong, if on service.
244. Municipal Officers.
i. _Lord Mayor.--Sup_.--To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (_The
Lady Mayoress_) of London, York, Dublin; The Lord Provost (_The Lady
Provost_) of Edinburgh.
_Comm_.--My Lord (_Madam_).
_Con_.--I have the honour to be, my Lord, Your Lordship's (_Madam,
Your Ladyship's_) most obedient humble servant.
ii. The Mayors of all Corporations, with the Sheriffs, Aldermen, and
Recorder of London, are styled _Right Worshipful_; and the Aldermen
and Recorder of other Corporations, as well as Justices of the Peace,
_Worshipful_.
245. Ambassadors.
Ambassadors have _Excellency_ prefixed to the other titles, and their
accredited rank added.
_Sup_.--To His Excellency Count Karolyi, Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary from H.I.M. (His Imperial Majesty) The Emperor
of Austria.
_Sup_.--To His Excellency The Right Honourable Earl of Dufferin,
K.P., G.C.M.G., K.C.B., Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Sublime Ottoman Porte.
_Comm_.--My Lord.
_Con_.--I have the honour to be, My Lord, Your Excellency's Most
humble obedient servant.
The wives of Ambassadors have also Excellency added to their other
titles.
Envoys and Chargés d'Affaires are generally styled Excellency, but
by courtesy only.
Consuls have only their accredited rank added to their names or
titles, if they have any.
246. Addresses of Petitions, &c.
i. _Queen in Council._--All applications to the Queen in Council, the
Houses of Lords and Commons, &c., are by _Petition_, as follows,
varying only the title:
To the Queen's most Excellent Majesty in Council, The humble
Petition of M.N., &c., showeth That your Petitioner.... Wherefore
Your Petitioner humbly prays that Your Majesty will be graciously
pleased to.... And Your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever
pray.
ii. _Lords and Commons._--To the Right Honourable the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal (To the Honourable the Commons) of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.
The humble Petitioner &c. And your Petitioner [or Petitioners] will
ever pray, &c.
247. To those who Write for the Press.
It would be a great service to editors and printers if all who write
for the press would observe the following rules. They are reasonable,
and correspondents will regard them as such:
i. write with black ink, on white paper, wide ruled.
ii. Make the pages or folios small, one-fourth of a foolscap sheet
is large enough.
iii. Leave the second page of each leaf blank; or, in other words,
write on one side of the paper only.
iv. Give to the written page an ample margin _all round_; or fold
down the left hand side to the extent of one-fourth the width of the
entire paper so as to leave a broad margin on the left side of the
paper.
v. Number the pages; in the order of their succession.
vi. Write in a plain, bold, legible hand, without regard to beauty
of appearance.
vii. Use no abbreviations which are not to appear in print.
viii. Punctuate the manuscript as it should be printed.
ix. For italics underscore one line; for small capitals, two;
capitals, three.
x. Never interline without the caret (^) to show its place.
xi. Take special pains with every letter in proper names.
xii. Review every word, to be sure that none is illegible.
xiii. Put directions to the printer at the head of the first page.
xiv. Never write a private letter to the editor on the printer's
copy, but always on a separate sheet.
248. Hints to those who have Pianofortes.
i. Damp is very injurious to a pianoforte; it ought therefore to be
placed in a dry place, and not exposed to draughts.
ii. Keep your piano free from dust, and do not allow needles, pins, or
bread to be placed upon it, especially if the key-board is exposed, as
such articles are apt to get inside and produce a jarring or whizzing
sound.
iii. Do not load the top of a piano with books, music, &c., as the
tone is thereby deadened, and the disagreeable noise alluded to in the
last paragraph is often produced likewise.
iv. Have your piano tuned about every two months; whether it is used
or not, the strain is always upon it, and if it is not kept up to
concert pitch it will not stand in tune when required, which it will
do if it be attended to regularly.
v. An upright instrument sounds better if placed about two inches from
the wall.
vi. When not in use keep the piano locked.
vii. To make the polish look nice, rub it with an old silk
handkerchief, being careful first of all to dust off any small
particles, which otherwise are apt to scratch the surface.
viii. Should any of the notes keep down when struck, it is a sure sign
that there is damp somewhere, which has caused the small note upon
which the key works to swell.
249. Gardening Operations for the Year.
250. January.--Flowers of the Month.
Christmas Rose, Crocus, Winter Aconite, Alyssum, Primrose, Snowdrop.
251. Gardening Operations.
In-door preparations for future operations must be made, as in this
month there are only five hours a day available for out-door work,
unless the season be unusually mild. Mat over tulip beds, begin to
force roses. Place pots over seakale and surround them with manure,
litter, dried leaves, &c. Plant dried roots of border flowers in mild
weather. Take strawberries in pots into the greenhouse. Take cuttings
of chrysanthemums and strike them under glass. Prune and plant
gooseberry, currant, fruit, and deciduous trees and shrubs. Cucumbers
and melons to be sown in the hot-bed. Apply manures to the soil.
252. February.--Flowers of the Month.
Snowdrop, Violet, Alyssum, Primrose.
253. Gardening Operations.
Transplant pinks, carnations, sweet-williams, candy-tuft, campanulas,
&c. Sow sweet and garden peas and lettuces, for succession of crops,
covering the ground with straw, &c. Sow also Savoys, leeks, and
cabbages. Prune and nail fruit trees, and towards the end of the month
plant stocks for next year's grafting; also cuttings of poplar, elder,
willow trees, for ornamental shrubbery. Sow fruit and forest tree
seeds.
254. March.--Flowers of the Month.
Primrose, Narcissus, Hyacinth, Wallflower, Hepatica, Daisy,
Polyanthus.
255. Gardening Operations.
Seeds of "spring flowers" to be sown. Border flowers to be planted
out. Tender annuals to be potted out under glasses. Mushroom beds to
be made. Sow artichokes, Windsor beans, and cauliflowers for autumn;
lettuces and peas for succession of crops, onions, parsley, radishes,
Savoys, asparagus, red and white cabbages, and beet; turnips, early
brocoli, parsnips and carrots. Plant slips and parted roots of
perennial herbs. Graft trees and protect early blossoms. Force
rose-tree cuttings under glasses.
256. April.--Flowers of the Month.
Cowslip, Anemone, Ranunculus, Tulip, Polyanthus, Auricula, Narcissus,
Jonquil, Wallflower, Lilac, Laburnum.
257. Gardening Operations.
Sow for succession peas, beans, and carrots; parsnips, celery, and
seakale. Sow more seeds of "spring flowers." Plant evergreens,
dahlias, chrysanthemums, and the like, also potatoes, slips of thyme,
parted roots, lettuces, cauliflowers, cabbages, onions. Lay down turf,
remove caterpillars. Sow and graft camelias, and propagate and graft
fruit and rose trees by all the various means in use. Sow cucumbers
and vegetable marrows for planting out. _This is the most important
month in the year for gardeners._
258. May.--Flowers of the Month.
Hawthorn, Gentianella, Anemone, Ranunculus, Columbine, Honeysuckle,
Laburnum, Wistaria.
259. Gardening Operations.
Plant out your seedling flowers as they are ready, and sow again for
succession larkspur, mignonette, and other spring flowers. Pot out
tender annuals. Remove auriculas to a north-east aspect. Take up
bulbous roots as the leaves decay. Sow kidney beans, brocoli for
spring use, cape for autumn, cauliflowers for December; Indian corn,
cress, onions to plant out as bulbs next year, radishes, aromatic
herbs, turnips, cabbages, savoys, lettuces, &c. Plant celery,
lettuces, and annuals; thin spring crops; stick peas, &c. Earth up
potatoes, &c. Moisten mushroom beds.
260. June.--Flowers of the Month.
Water-lily, Honeysuckle, Sweet-william, Pinks, Syringa, Rhododendron,
Delphinium, Stock.
261. Gardening Operations.
Sow giant stocks to flower next spring. Take slips of myrtles to
strike, pipings of pinks, and make layers of carnation. Put down
layers and take cuttings of roses and evergreens. Plant annuals in
borders, and place auriculas in pots in shady places. Sow kidney
beans, pumpkins, cucumbers for pickling, and (late in the month)
endive and lettuces. Plant out cucumbers, marrows, leeks, celery,
broccoli, cauliflowers, savoys, and seedlings, and plants propagated
by slips. Earth up potatoes, &c. Cut herbs for drying when in flower.
262. July.--Flowers of the Month.
Rose, Carnation, Picotee, Asters, Balsams.
263. Gardening Operations.