All those little personal details and trifling circumstances which are so delightful in a letter from a friend, would fatigue and disgust a stranger, or a superior, to whom they are destitute of interest

PROPRIETY OF EXPRESSIONS.

Display is a fault of great weight; ease is the grace of letter-writing: far-fetched words, and studied phrases, are by no means to be accepted as legitimate ornaments in the epis tolary style. A passage which is at once brilliant and brief, enriches a letter; but it must be artless, and appear to flow without effort from the writer's pen,—to arise naturally from the subject, or the preceding passages,—and not seem to have cost any labor in its production, or to be placed in the position it occupies, simply because it is beautiful, and not on account of its relation to its fellow-phrases. There are some persons

who have their pet expressions, which they display as they would their diamonds at dress-parties, on all great occasions : these expressions would be good, if they were in their proper places; but, on account of their misapplication, they appear forced and unnatural. It is, however, by no means intended, that these observations should be understood by the reader as warning him to reject those ornaments and graces of language, which embellish other styles of writing, when the occasion calls for their aid. Dr. Johnson observes, that, “it is natural to depart from familiarity of language upon occasions not familiar. Whatever elevates the sentiments, will, consequently, raise the expression; whatever fills us with hope, or terror, will produce perturbation of images, and some fig urative distortions of phrase. Whenever we are studious to please, we are afraid of trusting our first thoughts, and endeavor to recommend our opinion by studied ornaments, accuracy of method, and elegance of style. If the personages of the comic scene be allowed by Horace to raise their language, in the transports of anger, to the turgid vehemence of tragedy, the epistolary writer may likewise, without censure, comply with the varieties of his matter. If great events are to be related, he may, with all the solemnity of an historian, deduce them from their causes, connect them with their con comitants, and trace them to their consequences. If a disputed position is to be established, or a remote principle to be investigated, he may detail his reasonings with all the nicety of syllogistic method. If a measure is to be averted, or a benefit implored, he may, without violating the edicts of criticism, bring every power of rhetoric to his assistance, and try every intet at

which love or play enters the heart." But, before the letter-writer follows this advice, it is necessary to ascertain the extent of his powers. Without talents to support us in a splendid flight, it is better to pursue an even course; without judgment to select, and taste to apply ornaments, it is wise to be contented with simplicity; lest, in this case, in aiming to be brilliant, we become gaudy and ridiculous; or in that, while striving to astonish, we become contemptible, and "rise like the rocket, only to fall like the stick." We should never suffer ourselves to be seduced to adopt a fine-sounding epithet, unless we are perfectly well acquainted with its meaning; or to indulge in a simile, unless we are capable of wielding it with ease. It is dangerous to meddle with fine phrases, if we are unaccustomed to the manner of using them. A person who, by invariably keeping within the beaten path, and never running astray after "the butterflies of language," had been accounted, by his correspondents, a plain, sensible sort of man, destroyed his reputation by a congratulatory epistle on a friend's marriage, written in a style which he, doubtless, considered of great elevation and beauty; it was, on the contrary, in the true "Cambyses' vein." No one had ever suspected him to be a blockhead before; but the letter in question was evidence enough to convict him, even in the opinions of his most partial friends. Perhaps it is the only one of his epistles that has ever been preserved, with the exception of such as have been kept as documents in matters of business.

In all epistolary correspondence, the choice of embellishments, the language, subject, matter and manner, in general, should, as in conversation, be governed by the relative situa tions in life, as to age, rank, character, &c. of the parties addressed and addressing. A lady neither writes nor speaks to a gentleman as she would to one of her own sex, and a gen tleman addresses a lady in a style of more courteousness ana respect than he does a male correspondent. The language of a mother to a daughter, is very different from that of a daughter to her mother. In our first letter to a person, as on our first introduction, we should be respectful, and by no means familiar. The distance which either age, rank, sex, or any other circumstance, occasions, ought always to be remembered. We should never forget what we are, and what the is whom we address. We should say only pre person cisely what ought to be said,—to write, in fact, with the same restrictions as we would speak,-to suppose the party present whom we address; and to bear in mind, that our letters are, n every respect, representations of our own persons,—that

they may be said to speak for us; and that an estimate of our character and manners is frequently formed from the style and language of our epistles.

How frequently do we hear persons exclaiming, that they do not know what to write about! Such an observation is a disgrace to the person who makes it. Were the mother, the sister, the cousin, friend, or even acquaintance, to enter the room in which you are sitting at an escrutoire, with a blank sheet of paper before you, would you have nothing to say Would you have nothing to communicate? Nothing to inquire? No hitherto-unanswered question to reply to ?-There is but little doubt that a host of facts, feelings, questions, and answers, would crowd to your lips for utterance. But it will, perhaps, be observed by some, that "there is such a difference between talking and writing:"-truly so; the great difference is, that in this, the pen,-in that, the tongue,—is the agent of expression. Whatever we should say to a person present, we may write if absent. There is, of course, a choice of subjects to be made, and a proper mode to be chosen of communicating them. To regulate that choice, we should select as though the friend, to whom we are writing, were by our side, and could remain with us but a short time. In that case we should speak only of those things which were of the greatest importance, and express them at once as clearly and concisely as possible; and pleasantly, didactically, modestly, feelingly, or otherwise, according to their nature and the party whom we address. The writer should always bear in mind, that "nothing can be more improper than ease and laxity of expression when the importance of the subject impresses solicitude, or the dignity of the person exacts reverence."

LETTERS OF COMPLIMENT, INQUIRY, AND CONGRATU

LATION.

Politeness, and the forms of society, frequently require us to write letters of compliment, inquiry, or condolence, to those with whom we are upon the slightest possible terms of intimacy. Such letters, which are generally supposed to be the most difficult, are, in fact, the most easy of execution; for the circumstance which calls for the letter, affords us a subject to this the letter must be restricted. It is true, that there is a graceful manner of framing an inquiry and making a compliment, and this manner it is in vain to seek for, by labor, at the moment the letter is required; if it be diffi cult to compose, it will seem studied, heartless, and inelegant

in expression. Simplicity and ease impart the chief grace that can be given to a condoling or complimentary note.

A letter of congratulation should be as the thornless rose: the least appearance of envy, or jealousy, at the good fortune of those whom we felicitate, is unpardonable; it should contain no hint of any hope that the advancement, or change of situation, upon which the compliment is made, may afford the person addressed the means of conferring a benefit on th party writing. It should, in fact, be an unmixed expression of pleasure and congratulation on the event that calls for its production. Care must, nevertheless, be taken to keep within due bounds: to exaggerate in our congratulations, is to become keenly satirical.

To repeat what has before been said, the style must always correspond with the occasion. In a letter of congratulation we should be cheerful; from an epistle of condolence all pleasantry should be banished: to exhibit the wit which we possess, at such a time, is like smiling at a funeral, to display a beautiful set of teeth. When addressing a person who is laboring under any grievous calamity, it is bad taste to make light of it; by treating that loss as a matter which a little firmness would enable the party who has suffered it, to endure calmly, we irritate, rather than soothe. It is better to enter into the feelings of the mourner,—to eulogize the departed relation, to rebuke the ingratitude of the false friend,-to confess the inconstancy of fortune, or otherwise, according to the circumstances; and, without magnifying, to lament the full extent of the condoled party's affliction: thus we seem to share, and, therefore, in some degree, lessen the sorrow of the sufferer. A celebrated lady, in a letter of condolence to a friend, uses this language:-"The more I think on the loss you have just met with, the greater it appears, and the more it affects me. He was, indeed, worthy of being the head of such a family as yours, and can never be replaced! We have every reason to believe that he is happy: we should weep for ourselves, therefore, rather than for him. My heart grieves for your situation: it will be long ere you can console yourself for such a separation. If I were mistress of my own actions, I would certainly abandon every thing to be near you." This language is balm to the wounded mind, which rejects consolation from those who do not seem sensible of the extent of the sorrow under which it labors. Such

a subject must, nevertheless, be treated with a delicate hand, f^r, by exaggeration, we should aggravate rather than consce; and a mere string of bitter reflection, without any con

cluding ray of hope being held out, or the least hint that the calamity has been occasioned by the neglect or imprudence of the party suffering under its visitation, is like striking the stricken deer.

Letters of inquiry, as their subjects are generally brief, will bear a little verbiage. To be too concise in our inquiries, as to the indisposition of an acquaintance, manifests a carelessness which may be turned to our disadvantage: but a mere billet of complimentary inquiries should not be lengthened into a formidable epistle; it then becomes absurd. In an application to a superior in rank, or age, for a favor, neither gaiety nor familiarity is tolerated. A request may be made to an equal, and an acquaintance, with smiles; friendship commands, even when she asks: a friend may, therefore, when soliciting, be pleasant without impeachment. Brunel wrote thus to his friend Fontenelle :-"You have a thousand crowns,-send them to me." To this request Fontenelle replied as follows:-" When I received your letter, I was about placing out my thousand crowns: I shall not easily find so good an opportunity again,-voyez donc." Brunel's rejoinder was only, "Send me your thousand crowns," and Fontenelle sent them.

The forms of complimentary letters of thanks, for inqui ries, &c. are extremely simple; being little more than ar echo of the inquiries, with the writer's acknowledgments for the civility of the inquirer. In letters of thanks for real fa. vors conferred, the language ought to be simple and strong; it should appear to be dictated by the heart: the principal subject must, of course, be the writer's gratitude. The extent of the obligation should neither be magnified nor treated as less than it really is. To hint that the favor conferred shall be returned, or to express a wish that an occasion may offer, for the party benefited, to oblige his benefactor, is exceedingly indelicate; and conveys an idea, that the writer feels the favor to be nothing more than a loan, which is to be repaid the first opportunity; although such be the feeling, it is not fit that it should be expressed.

If we confer a favor, and announce the fact to the party whom we have obliged, it is necessary to avoid any expres sions that may tend to wound the feelings: it is possible to grant a favor in such a manner as to offend, rather than to delight; to create disgust, rather than gratitude. The language of a letter, which states that the writer has performed an important service, on behalf of the individual to whom it is addressed, should be simple, and void of ostentation" He