MR. PUNCH, in spite of his emphatic and repeated Notices and
Explanations, being still copiously afflicted with Communications from
Persons whom he has not invited to take the liberty of addressing him,
issues the following =Note=, and advises such persons to study it
closely.
He calls them "Correspondents," but does so only for convenience. A
Correspondent means a person who not only writes, but to whom the
recipient of the letter also writes. Ninety-nine out of a hundred of
those who address _Mr. Punch_ are, and will be, unanswered, except by
this Note.
Let all understand that he is answerable for the real or supposed value
of No literary or artistic matter which may be sent him, unasked. This
is law. Let all understand that at the earliest possible moment after
his discovery that such matter is useless to him, it is Destroyed. This
is fact.
Notice also that stamped and directed envelopes, for the return of such
matters, will not operate to the fracture of his rule.
After this notice, "Correspondents" will have no one but themselves to
thank for the Snub _Mr. Punch's_ silence implies.
But is he unwise enough to believe that the plague of foolish
Correspondence will thus be stayed? Verily, no.