4. Confine yourself to _strict business_. If you wish to add matters of
friendship, it is well to write them on a separate leaf, that the
business portion may be separately filed.
5. Write _grammatical and idiomatic_ English, and paragraph and
punctuate as in other kinds of writing.
=Personal and Social Letters.=--Under this head may be placed those
letters written by any person in his private capacity as an individual.
Such letters may be dictated by friendship, by charity or kindness, by
politeness, by respect, by gratitude, by self-interest, or by any other
reasonable motive.
Among these are the following:
LETTERS OF FRIENDSHIP are such as are dictated by mutual affection
between relatives and friends. They should be natural, easy, frank,
without the least affectation. “I wish you to open to me your soul, not
your library,” said Mme. de Sévigné, who wrote exquisitely herself. Such
letters may treat of any subject of common interest to the parties
concerned. Their language is that of the heart. Kindness, affection,
charity, good-nature should dictate, prudence and common sense supervise
them.
LETTERS OF CONGRATULATION are written on occasion of the New Year, a
birthday, a preferment, or when a friend has met with some uncommon good
fortune, and should be dictated by genuine friendship and sincere
esteem, and expressed modestly without any exaggerated praise.
LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE.--These require great skill and care. Act like the
humane surgeon who touches the wound gently, and only to heal it. If
your correspondent knows the sad news already, sympathize sincerely with
him. If you are to announce the bad news yourself, prepare the way
slowly; state the news as delicately as you can. Express your grief
again before you conclude.
LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION OR RECOMMENDATION require special prudence.
Think first whether it is proper to write such a letter at all for such
a person. Avoid two dangers: do not offend the applicant for a
recommendation, do not deceive your correspondent by exaggerated praise
of the one recommended.
If the applicant is _worthy_ state his merits, express reasonable
confidence in him. If he is _unworthy_ or doubtfully worthy, give him a
letter which he will prefer not to present; for every such letter is an
open letter, which the bearer is expected to read before delivering.
A letter of introduction or recommendation should never be sealed, as
the bearer to whom it is given ought to know the contents.
LETTERS OF PETITION should be modest and every way moderate. Ingratiate
yourself in a manly way; state your reasons briefly but forcibly; show
your appreciation of the trouble your correspondent may be put to in
consequence of the favor; promise gratitude.
In answering such letters favorably be brief and show your pleasure at
rendering the little service asked. In refusing show how reluctantly you
do so; give good reasons for it. Express your hope of finding, some
other time, a better opportunity of showing your affection or esteem.
LETTERS OF THANKS should never be neglected when a favor has been
received. Express your appreciation both of the favor and of the
kindness with which it was bestowed. Hope for an opportunity, not of
repaying the person, but of showing your gratitude.
=Ceremonial Letters and Notes.=--Under this heading may be classed notes
of _invitation_, _acceptance_, and _regret_, both formal and informal.
_Informal_ invitations, acceptances, and regrets are simply friendly
notes written always in the _first_ person. They vary in form to suit
the occasion. They should be cordial in tone, but brief, and are in
better taste when confined to the subject of the invitation, outside
items being permissible only under special circumstances which may
require their mention.
An informal invitation should never, under any circumstances, be
answered in the third person.