lary composition." The importance of writing letters with propriety," says Dr. Johnson, "justly claims to be considered with care; since, next to the power of pleasing with his presence, every man would wish to be able to give delight at a distance. This great art should be diligently taught, the rather because of those letters which are most useful, and by which the general business of life is transacted, there are no examples easily to be found. It seems the usual fault of those who undertake this part of education, that they propose for the exercise of their scholars, occasions which rarely happen, and neglect those without which life cannot proceed. It is possible to pass many years without the necessity of writing panegyrics or epithalamiums; but every man has frequent occasion to make a narrative of the minute incidents of common life. On these subjects, therefore, young persons should be taught to think justly, and to write clearly, neatly, and succinctly, lest they come from school into the world without any acquaintance with common affairs, and stand idle spectators of mankind, in expectation that some great event will give them an opportunity to exert their rhetoric."

The biographical notices of the writers from whom the letters are selected, will, it is presumed, be found a use ful and an interesting appendage to this work. Many of them have been extended to a greater length than was originally intended; because it was hoped that, whether read in a continued series, or according to the order of the letters to which they immediately relate, they would prove peculiarly instructive and pleasing to young persons, and exhibit to them some striking, ennobling, and animating views of human life and human character.

INTRODUCTORY RULES AND OBSERVATIONS

ON

EPISTOLARY COMPOSITION.

To write letters well is an attainment of great importance. It affords scope for the exercise and display of the highest powers of the mind, and the finest feelings of the heart. It is of constant utility in every department of business, and in every endearing relation of social and domestic life.

The art of epistolary writing, as the late translator of Pliny's letters has observed, was esteemed by the Romans among the number of liberal and polite accomplishments; and Cicero, in some of his letters, mentions, with great pleasure, the elegant specimens of epistolary composition which he had received from his son. It seems indeed to have formed part of the education of the Romans; and it deserves to have a share in ours. "It has," says Mr. Locke, "so much to do in all the occurrences of human life, that no gentleman can avoid showing himself in this kind of writing. Occasions will daily force him to make this use of his pen; which, besides the consequences that, in his affairs, his well or ill managing of it often draws after it, always lays him open to a severer examination of his breeding, his sense, and his abilities, than oral discourses, whose transient faults dying for the most part with the sound that gives them life, and so not subject to a strict review, more easily escape observation and censure." To facilitate to children and young persons the acquisition of the epistolary art, they should frequently be exer

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cised in writing letters to their absent friends or relatives; on such occasions as naturally occur in domestic life, or on subjects chosen by themselves, and adapted to their taste and acquirements. Every error which they commit, in orthography or in punctuation, in language or in sentiment, should be pointed out and fully explained to them, either by their instructer, or some other friend, previously to the letters being sent; or, afterwards, by the persons to whom they are addressed. But no fault should be corrected by a teacher or friend, or on his suggestion; and the letters should always be sent exactly in the state in which they come from the pupils' own hands, except the occasion be very important, and the writers very urgent to be allowed to correct and transcribe their little performances. Thus, will some of the best and most operative feelings of their minds be powerfully excited; their application, their desire of improvement, will be quickened ; and they will probably look forward, with anxious expectation, to a future opportunity of gratifying themselves and their friends, by an exhibition of their enlarged abilities and attainments. It is scarcely necessary to add that these letters should be voluntary, not compelled; rather allowed as a privilege, than required as a task. "When children," says Mr. Locke, "understand how to write English with due connexion, propriety, and order, and are pretty well masters of a tolerable narrative style, they may be advanced to the writing of letters; in which they should not be put upon any strains of wit or compliment, but taught to express their own plain, easy sense, without any incoherence, confusion, or roughness."

To practice, should be added the frequent and attentive perusal of letters, written with correctness, ease, and elegance; for which purpose, the epistolary selections contained in this volume, will, it is presumed, prove peculiarly useful and acceptable. But young persons should be

cautioned not to adopt any sentiment, or any expression, even of the most approved writer, that is not consistent with their own judgment, and with the thoughts, and feelings, of their own minds. "Nothing is beautiful but what is true," is a maxim of universal acceptation; but it applies, with peculiar force, to epistolary communications.

Letter-writing is a subject of so varied and extensive a nature, that it can scarcely be reduced to rule, or taught by precept. But some instruction respecting it, may doubtless be communicated to young persons, through the medium of rules; and the following, together with the observations that accompany them, have been formed, with particular care, for that purpose. They will, it is hoped, be found of real and practical utility; and afford considerable assistance to young persons, in avoiding error, and obtaining some degree of excellence, in epistolary composition.

I. When you write a letter to any person, express the same sentiments, and use the same language, as you would do if you were conversing with him. "Write eloquently," says Mr. Gray," that is from your heart, in such expressions as that will furnish."

This rule is of primary importance, for the attainment of ease and simplicity in epistolary composition. But it will not, with equal efficacy, promote correctness and propriety, unless we accustom ourselves to think, and to express our thoughts, accurately and properly, in common conversation.

II. Before you begin a letter, especially when it is on any occasion of importance, weigh well in your own mind the design and purport of it; and consider, very attentively, what sentiments are most proper for you to express, and your correspondent to read.

The observance of this rule is highly useful. To those who have few thoughts, it affords an opportunity of adding to the stock; and to those who are overwhelmed by the abundance, or perplexed by the variety, of them, it gives ample scope for selection. When we have well considered a subject, and thoroughly understand it, we can scarcely fail, with a moderate degree of attention and of literary attainments, to express ourselves clearly, distinctly, and even forcibly.-Many persons make a rough draught of the letter they design to write; which, when they have corrected and improved it as much as they can, they transcribe. On occasions of particular difficulty or importance, this practice is not to be condemned. It is frequently recommended, or allowed, to children and young persons, in their first epistolary essays, though on the most trivial subjects: but if it should be long continued, or become habitual, it will prove a great hinderance to facility and despatch in writing; which are always useful, and often absolutely necessary, in the commerce of the world.

To assist invention and to promote order, it may, as some writers on epistolary composition recommend, occasionally be of use to make, in the mind, a division of a letter into three parts, the beginning, middle, and end: or, in other words, into the exordium or introduction; the narration or proposition; and the conclusion. The exordium or introduction should be employed, not indeed with the formality of rhetoric, but with the ease of genuine politeness and benevolence, in conciliating favour and attention; the narration or proposition, in stating the business with clearness and precision; the conclusion, in confirming what has been premised, in making apologies where any are necessary, and in cordial expressions of respect, esteem, or affection.

"Ease and simplicity in epistolary composition," as Dr.