INTRODUCTION. THE importance of a knowledge of the style and phraseology of Commercial Correspondence, must be obvious to all who will give the subject a moment's consideration. The style of a mercantile letter should be clear, explicit and concise. There should be nothing defective, nothing superfluous, nothing ambiguous. It should give full information of all business transacted, or required, or of every fact inquired into, without digression, or unnecessary detail. The proper characteristics of a commercial style are neatness and perspicuity. Brevity also is desirable, as far as may be consistent with the latter quality; for a waste of words is a waste of time, both to him who writes and him who reads a letter. To attain all this, I would recommend that the several subjects to be treated of, should be kept perfectly distinct. In replying to a letter, follow the same order that is observed therein, discussing one subject fully, and in a separate paragraph, before you proceed to the next. The want of a proper division of a letter into paragraphs, and a neglect of punctuation, will scarcely fail to render it confused. It is a point of chief importance, that all orders given should be clear and explicit; and if their execution depend upon any contingency, the correspondent must have full directions how to act under any change of circumstances that may be contemplated; this is necessary to obviate misunderstandings and disputes. With the same view, it is usual, especially in important matters, to recapitulate the principal subjects of the letter replied to. In this, however, merchants have also another object, which is to render their letter-books, as far as possible, a history of their transactions, for the advantage of ready reference after a lapse of years, and for production in court, with the better effect, in case of litigation. Accordingly, every letter should speak, as it were, for itself, and give all the necessary particulars of the transaction to which it refers. For the same reason, merchants seldom arrange any important business verbally; or, if they do, a letter is immediately written, stating the nature of the arrangements made, which is thus placed on record in the letter-book, and is corroborated by the answer of the party concerned. In the practice of letter-writing there are some few points to be observed, which will very materially facilitate the performance of the duties of the corresponding clerk, and which I shall briefly notice. A merchant should begin a letter by referring to any former one to which he has not yet received an answer; he should then mention the letter or letters he may have received, and give a full reply to every particular, in the order of the dates, before. he enters upon any new matter. When he orders goods from a person from whom he has not been accustomed to purchase, it is proper to mention the quantity and quality, the price at which he is willing to take them, and the mode of conveyance. When he consigns goods, he must instruct his agent at what price and credit he is willing to sell; and in what manner the agent is to remit the proceeds of the sales. If any thing be reserved to his agent's discretion, it should be expressed in such plain terms that there may be no doubt where he is restricted, and where his power is discretionary; but it is not necessary when a merchant is in the frequent habit of doing business, whether in purchasing or consigning goods, to repeat particulars in every letter. The usual orders, if not countermanded, are understood to be continued; and some things may be determined by the custom peculiar to the place; with which the employer is understood to comply. A merchant's correspondence should be so arranged that any letter of any date, may be found immediately. This facility is insured by all letters being folded in a similar form by the clerk who receives them from the principal every morning, after |