Lord Chesterfield says in those inimitable letters to his son, that
“style is the dress of thoughts, and let them be ever so just, if
your style is homely, coarse and vulgar, they will appear to as much
disadvantage as your person, though ever so well proportioned, would if
dressed in rags, dirt and tatters.”
So true is this that graceful commonplaces, either spoken or written,
are far more apt to produce a pleasing impression than weightier matter
awkwardly uttered, or uncouthly expressed. Hence, the length and
familiarity of the friendly epistle should never be carried into the
short, concisely worded business letter, while the social note, though
brief, should differ greatly in its gracefully turned phrases from the
formal note of acceptance, regret, application, or introduction.
The following forms are to be looked upon, not as copies, but chiefly
as suggestions that may be used to solve some doubtful point.
Social and Friendly Letters.
These are less subject to rule than any other class, and the models
here given are simply to show how flowing and easy the style may be
between friend and friend, or how gracious and instructive from parent
to child. In the friendly letter great freedom of detail is allowable,
especially among near relatives. “You do not tell me half enough,”
writes H. H. from Europe. “I even want to know if the front gate is
off its hinges.” But do not render a friendly letter so long as to tax
the patience of the reader. “Samivel Veller” discovered one of the
secrets of letter-writing when he made that famous love letter of his
short, “so she vill vish there vos more of it.” Neither railing, nor
fretfulness, nor too great egotism, is wise in letter-writing, for
written words have a sad fashion of outlasting the mood in which they
were penned, nay, even the hand that penned them.
Letters of Introduction.
These are left unsealed, that the bearer may be permitted to read
the contents. They are brief, so that if read in the presence of the
person introduced, the slight embarrassment may be shortened as much
as possible. They usually contain a reference to the occupation or
character of the individual in order that some slight clue may be given
to the recipient in beginning a conversation, and usually conclude with
some pleasant, complimentary phrase.
One simple form would be:
EVANSTON, January 1, 189—.