Blair justly observes, "are not to be understood as importing entire carelessness. In writing to the most intimate friend, a certain degree of attention, both to the subject and the style, is requisite and becoming. It is no more than what we owe both to ourselves, and to the friend with whom we correspond. A slovenly and negligent manner of writing, is a disobliging mark of want of respect. The liberty, besides, of writing letters with too careless a hand, is apt to betray persons into imprudence in what they write. An improper expression in conversation may be forgotten and pass away; but when we take the pen into our hand, we must remember, that, Litera scripta manet."

III. Let all your sentiments and expressions be consistent with truth and virtue. Avoid exaggerated and extravagant professions of regard; suppress every unjust or malignant thought; encourage pious and benevolent affections in your own mind, and in the minds of those whom you address.

This rule is important in conversation; but much more so in letters: because, writing allows an opportunity for consideration, which renders error of every kind more inexcusable; and what is written usually makes a stronger and more permanent impression than what is merely spoken." Let me conjure you," says bishop Atterbury in a letter to his son, "never to say any thing, either in a letter or in common conversation, that you do not think; but always let your mind and your words go together, even on the most slight and trivial occasions. Shelter not the least degree of insincerity under the notion of a compliment; which, as far as it deserves to be practised by a man of probity, is only the most civil and obliging way of saying what we really mean: ́whoever employs it otherwise, throws away truth for what he fancies good breeding; and

I need not tell you how little his character gains by such an exchange."

To endeavour, in all our personal intercourse with our relatives, and friends, and acquaintances, to please and edify them, and, when we are absent from them, to make our letters to them, mementos not only of affection or of kindness, but also of an earnest desire to promote their welfare, both in this world and in the world to come, is an important duty, and one of the greatest pleasures that a pious and feeling mind can enjoy. Even in letters of business, opportunities often occur of suggesting, in the most easy and delicate manner, sentiments of a moral and religious nature, which may prove of great and lasting benefit. But such sentiments should not be introduced for the purpose of ostentatious display, or any other of a still more culpable nature: they should spring from the heart, and from a thorough conviction of their propriety, or they will produce but a faint impression either on him who writes, or on him who reads.

IV. Vary your style; and adapt it to the subject of your letter, and also to the character, the station, and other peculiar circumstances, of the person to whom you write.

As the occasion on which letters are written, and the situation, feelings, and acquirements, of those who write. them, as well as of those to whom they are written, are so various, a great diversity of style necessarily becomes requisite. On important subjects, it should be strong and solemn; on lighter subjects, easy, and simple; ín exhortation, earnest; in persuasion, mild; in consolation, tender; in congratulation, lively; in requests, modest; in commendation, warm; to superiors, respectful; to inferiors, courteous; to friends and companions, familiar.

The sentiments of Dr. Johnson and Dr. Knox, on this

point, are highly worthy of attention. "The qualities of the epistolary style most frequently required," says the former of these writers, (Rambler, No. 152,) "are ease and simplicity, an even flow of unlaboured diction, and an artless arrangement of obvious sentiments. But these directions are no sooner applied to use, than their scantiness and imperfection become evident. Letters are written to the great and to the mean, to the learned and the ignorant; at rest and in distress; in sport and in passion. 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. That letters should be written with strict conformity to nature is true, because nothing but conformity to nature can make any composition beautiful or just. But 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 some perturbation of images. Wherever we are studious to please, we are afraid of trusting our first thoughts, and endeavour to recommend our opinion by studied ornaments, accuracy of method, and elegance of style. The epistolary writer may, 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 concomitants, and trace them to their conse. quences. 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 menace is to be averted, or a benefit implored, he may, without any violation of the edicts of criticism, call every power of rhetoric to his assistance, and try every inlet at which love or pity enters the heart.”

"Much has been said on the epistolary style," observes Dr. Knox, in his Essays Moral and Literary; "as if any

one style could be appropriated to the great variety of subjects which are treated of in letters. Ease, it is true, should distinguish familiar letters, written on the common affairs of life; because the mind is usually at ease while they are composed. But, even in these, topics incidentally arise, which require elevated expression, and an inverted construction. Not to raise the style on these occasions, is to write unnaturally; for nature teaches us to express animated emotions of every kind in animated language. The dependent writes unnaturally to a superior, in the style of familiarity. The suppliant writes unnaturally, if he rejects the figures dictated by distress. Conversation admits of every style but the poetic; and what are letters but written conversation? The great rule is, to follow nature, and to avoid an affected manner."

V. Scrupulously adhere to the rules of grammar. Select and apply all your words with a strict regard to their proper signification; and whenever you have any doubt respecting the correctness or propriety of them, consult a dictionary, or some good living authority. Avoid, with particular care, all errors in orthography, in punctuation, and in the arrangement of words and phrases.

Errors of this nature often obscure or pervert the meaning of the writer; and they leave on the mind of an intelligent reader a very unfavourable impression. When the rules of grammar have been thoroughly learned, a constant attention to practise them, both in speaking and in writing, will soon render them familiar; and far from occasioning (as some apprehend) any stiffness of style, will be promotive of real ease, simplicity, and elegance. "Let nothing though of a trifling nature," says bishop Atterbury in a

letter to his son, "pass through your pen negligently. Get but the way of writing correctly and justly, time and use will teach you to write readily." The great accuracy

and correctness of composition for which Dr. Johnson was so highly distinguished, and which seemed to cost him so little effort as to be almost natural to him, were owing, he used to say, to the constant care and attention with which, from early life, he avoided or corrected error in every thing he said or wrote, though on the most trivial occasion. “The effusion of a moment" becomes the just characteristic and the highest encomium of all familiar writing, when a habit of accuracy has previously been acquired.

VI. Endeavour, particularly in letters on business, to express your meaning as briefly as the nature of the subject will admit; and in such terms as are least likely to be misunderstood. Avoid unnecessary tautology, explanation, and long or frequent parentheses. Place the principal circumstances in the most prominent point of view; suppress, or slightly mention, those which are of a trivial nature. Make no quotations in foreign languages, nor any classical allusions, however apt or beautiful, except when you are writing to persons to whom they will be intelligible and pleasing. Before you seal your letter, always read it over very attentively; and correct every inaccuracy or error which you discover in it, that might, in the slightest degree, perplex or mislead your correspondent.

A plain, concise style is the best adapted for business. Letters of sentiment, of affection, and friendship, naturally admit of more enlargement, and occasionally of embellishment.-Long sentences should generally be avoided in epistolary composition. They may please the ear: but they usually occasion some degree of obscurity; and they are burthensome to the memory. Well constructed sentences that are short, or of a moderate length, strike the mind forcibly and agreeably; and the tenour of them is easily remembered.