Graded Lessons in English by Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg (find a book to read .TXT) 📖

farther to the right than the second.

The Date stands upon a line by itself if the Heading occupies two or more lines.

The door-number, the day of month, and the year are written in figures, the rest in words. Each important word begins with a capital letter, each item is set off by the comma, and the whole closes with a period.

Direction.—Study what has been said, and write the following headings according to these models:–

1. Hull, Mass., Nov. 1, 1860. 2. 1466 Colorado Ave., Rochester, N. Y., Apr. 3, 1870. 3. Newburyport, Mass., June 30, 1826. 4. Starkville, Herkimer Co., N. Y., Dec. 19, 1871.

1. n y rondout 11 1849 oct. 2. staten island port richmond 1877 25 january. 3. brooklyn march 1871 mansion house 29. 4. executive chamber vt february montpelier 1869 27. 5. washington franklin como nov 16 1874. 6. fifth ave may new york 460 9 1863. 7. washington d c march 1847 520 pennsylvania ave

16.

 

THE INTRODUCTION.

+Parts+.—The Introduction consists of the +Address+—the Name, the Title, and the Place of Business or the Residence of the one addressed—and the +Salutation+. Titles of respect and courtesy should appear in the Address. Prefix Mr. (plural, Messrs.) to a man’s name; Master to a boy’s name; Miss to the name of a girl or an unmarried lady; Mrs. to the name of a married lady. Prefix Dr. to the name of a physician, or write M.D. after his name. Prefix Rev. (or The Rev.) to the name of a clergyman; if he is a Doctor of Divinity, prefix Rev. Dr., or write Rev. before his name and D.D. after it; if you do not know his Christian name, prefix Rev. Mr. or Rev. Dr. to his surname, but never Rev. alone. Esq. is added to the name of a lawyer, and to the names of other prominent men. Avoid such combinations as the following: Mr. John Smith, Esq., Dr. John Smith, M.D., Mr. John Smith, M.D., etc.

Salutations vary with the station of the one addressed, or the writer’s degree of intimacy with him. Strangers may be addressed as Sir, Rev. Sir, General, Madam, Miss Brown, etc.; acquaintances as Dear Sir, Dear Madam, etc.; friends as My dear Sir, My dear Madam, My dear Mr. Brown, etc.; and near relatives and other dear friends as My dear Wife, My dear Boy, Dearest Ellen, etc.

+How Written+.—The Address may follow the Heading, beginning on the next line, or the next but one, and standing on the left side of the page; or it may stand in corresponding position after the Body of the Letter and the Conclusion. If the letter is written to a very intimate friend, the Address may appropriately be placed at the bottom of the letter; but in other letters, especially those on ordinary business, it should be placed at the top and as directed above. There should always be a narrow margin on the left-hand side of the page, and the Address should always begin on the marginal line. If the Address occupies more than one line, the initial words of these lines should slope to the right, as in the Heading.

Begin the Salutation on the marginal line or a little to the right of it, when the Address occupies three lines; on the marginal line or farther to the right than the second line of the Address begins, when this occupies two lines; a little to the right of the marginal lime, when the Address occupies one line; on the marginal line, when the Address stands below.

Every important word in the Address should begin with a capital letter. All the items of it should be set off by the comma, and, as it is an abbreviated sentence, it should close with a period. Every important word in the Salutation should begin with a capital letter, and the whole should be followed by a comma.

+Direction+.—Study what has been said, and write the following introductions according to these models:—

1. Dear Father, I write, etc.

2. The Rev. M. H. Buckham, D.D., President of U. V. M., Burlington, Vt. My dear Sir,

3. Messrs. Clark & Brown, Quogue, N. Y. Gentlemen,

4. Messrs. Tiffany & Co., 2 Milk St., Boston. Dear Sirs,

1. david h cochran lld president of polytechnic institute brooklyn my dear sir. 2. dr John h hobart burge 64 livingston st brooklyn n y sir. 3. prof geo n boardman Chicago ill dear teacher. 4. to the president executive mansion Washington d c mr president. 5. rev t k beecher elmira n y sir. 6. messrs gilbert & sons gentlemen mass boston. 7. mr george r curtis minn rochester my friend dear. 8. to the honorable wm m evarts secretary of state Washington d c sir.

THE BODY OF THE LETTER.

+_The Beginning_+.—Begin the Body of the Letter at the end of the Salutation, and on the same line, if the Introduction consists of four lines—in which case the comma after the Salutation should be followed by a dash;—otherwise, on the line below.

+_Style_+.—Be perspicuous. Paragraph and punctuate as in other kinds of writing. Spell correctly; write legibly, neatly, and with care.

Letters of friendship should be colloquial, natural, and familiar. Whatever is interesting to you will be interesting to your friends.

Business letters should be brief, and the sentences should be short, concise, and to the point.

In formal notes the third person is generally used instead of the first and the second; there is no Introduction, no Conclusion, no Signature, only the name of the Place and the Date at the bottom, on the left side of the page.

THE CONCLUSION.

+Parts+.—The Conclusion consists of the +Complimentary Close+ and the +Signature+. The forms of the Complimentary Close are many, and are determined by the relations of the writer to the one addressed. In letters of friendship you may use Your sincere friend; Yours affectionately ; Your loving son or daughter, etc. In business letters, you may use Yours; Yours truly; Truly yours; Yours respectfully; Very respectfully yours, etc. In official letters use I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant; Very respectfully, your most obedient servant.

The Signature consists of your Christian name and your surname. In addressing a stranger write your Christian name in full. A lady addressing a stranger should prefix her title—Miss or Mrs.—to her own name, enclosing it within marks of parenthesis, if she prefers.

+How Written+.—The Conclusion should begin near the middle of the first line below the Body of the Letter, and should slope to the right like the Heading and the Address. Begin each line of it with a capital letter, and punctuate as in other writing, following the whole with a period. The Signature should be very plain.

THE FOLDING.

The Folding is a simple matter when, as now, the envelope used is adapted in length to the width of the sheet. Take the letter as it lies before you, with its first page uppermost, turn up the bottom of it about one-third the length of the sheet, bring the top down over this, taking care that the sides are even, and press the parts together.

Taking the envelope with its back toward you, insert the letter, putting in first the edge last folded. The form of the envelope may require the letter to be folded in the middle. Other conditions may require other ways of folding.

THE SUPERSCRIPTION.

+Parts+.—The Superscription is what is written on the outside of the envelope. It is the same as the Address, consisting of the Name, the Title, and the full Directions of the one addressed.

+How Written+.—The Superscription should begin near the middle of the envelope and near the left edge— the envelope lying with its closed side toward you—and should occupy three or four lines. These lines should slope to the right as in the Heading and the Address, the spaces between the lines should be the same, and the last line should end near the lower right-hand corner. On the first line the Name and the Title should stand. If the one addressed is in a city, the door-number and name of the street should be on the second line, the name of the city on the third, and the name of the state on the fourth. If he is in the country, the name of the post-office should be on the second line, the name of the county on the third—(or by itself near the lower left-hand corner), and the name of the state on the fourth. The titles following the name should be separated from it and from each other by the comma, and every line should end with a comma, except the last, which should be followed by a period. The lines should be straight, and every part of the Superscription should be legible. Place the stamp at the upper right-hand corner.

LETTER, ORDERING MERCHANDISE.

[Cursive: Newburgh, N. Y. Jan. 7. 1888

Messrs. Hyde & Co., 250 Broadway. N. Y.

Gentlemen,

Please send me by Adams Express the articles mentioned in the enclosed list.

Be careful in the selection of the goods, as I desire them for a special class of customers.

When they are forwarded, please inform me by letter and enclose the invoice.

Yours truly,

Thomas Dodds.]

ANSWER, ENCLOSING INVOICE.

[Cursive: 250 Broadway, N. Y. Jan 9, 1888.

Mr. Thomas Dodds, Newburgh, N. Y.

Dear Sir,

We have to-day sent you by Adams Express the goods ordered in your letter of the 7th inst. Enclosed you will find the invoice.

We hope that everything will reach you in good condition and will prove satisfactory in quality and in price.

Very truly yours,

Peter Hyde & Co.]

INVOICE.

Thomas Dodds,

Bought of Peter Hyde & Co.

3 boxes Sperm Candles. 140 lbs., @33c. $46.20 7 do. Adamantine Extra Candles, 182 lbs., “26c. 47.32 120 lbs. Crushed Sugar, “12-1/2c. 15.00 60 do. Coffee do., “11-1/4c. 6.75

–— $115.27

 

LETTER OF APPLICATION.

[Cursive: 176 Clinton St. Brooklyn, N. Y. Dec. 12, 1887

Messrs. Fisk & Hatch, 5 Nassau St., N. Y.

Gentlemen,

Learning by advertisement that a clerkship in your house is vacant, I beg leave to offer myself as a candidate for the place. I am sixteen years old, and am strong and in excellent health. I have just graduated with honor from the seventh grade of the Polytechnic Institute, Brooklyn, and I enclose testimonials of my character and standing from the President of that Institution.

If you desire a personal interview, I shall be glad to present myself at such time and place as you may name.

Very respectfully yours,

Charles Hastings.]

NOTES OF INVITATION AND ACCEPTANCE (in the third person).

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks request the pleasure of Mr. Churchill’s company at a social gathering, next Tuesday evening, at 8 o’clock. 32 W. 31_st Street, Oct_. 5.

Mr. Churchill has much pleasure in accepting Mr. and Mrs. Brooks’s kind invitation to a social gathering next Tuesday evening. 160 Fifth Ave., Oct. 5.

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION.

[Cursive: Concord, N. H. Jan. 10, 1888.

George Chapman, Esq., Portland, Conn.

My dear Friend,

It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you my friend, Mr. Alpheus Crane. Any attention you may be able to show him I shall esteem as a personal favor.

Sincerely yours,

Peter Cooper.]

A LETTER OF FRIENDSHIP.

[Cursive: 21 Dean St., Toledo, Ohio. Dec. 16, 1887.

My dear Mother,

I cannot tell you how I long to be at home again and in my old place. In my dreams and in my waking hours, I am often back at the old homestead; my