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The New Century Standard Letter-Writer / Business, Family and Social Correspondence, Love-Letters, Etiquette, Synonyms, Legal Forms, Etc. cover

The New Century Standard Letter-Writer / Business, Family and Social Correspondence, Love-Letters, Etiquette, Synonyms, Legal Forms, Etc.

Chapter 371: Transcriber's Note:
By Alfred B. Chambers
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About This Book

A practical handbook that teaches readers how to compose effective correspondence across business, family, and social contexts, offering clear instruction on the mechanical structure of a letter and on appropriate tone and phrasing. It provides guidance on headings, margins, salutations, closings, stationery, and etiquette, and supplies numerous model letters and forms covering employment, commercial orders and shipping, legal documents, social and love letters, and official addresses. Synonyms and sample phrases help adapt wording and formality for different recipients and occasions.

THE USE OF CAPITALS.

1. Every entire sentence should begin with a capital.

2. Proper names, and adjectives derived from these, should begin with capitals.

3. All appellations of the Deity should begin with a capital.

4. Official and honorary titles begin with a capital.

5. Every line of poetry should begin with a capital.

6. Titles of books and the heads of their chapters and divisions are printed in capitals.

7. The pronoun I and the exclamation O are always capitals.

8. The days of the week and the months of the year begin with capitals.

9. Every quotation should begin with a capital letter.

10. Names of religious denominations begin with capitals.

11. In preparing accounts, each item should begin with a capital.

12. Any word of very special importance may begin with a capital.

LETTER POSTAGE.

UNITED STATES.

First-class Matter (Letters, etc.), per ounce, 2 cents.
First-class Matter—Letters and all other written matter (whether sealed or not), excepting manuscript copy accompanying proof-sheets, also all matter sealed, 2 cents an ounce, excepting drop-letters at non-carrier offices, 1 cent an ounce. (Postal Cards 1c each.)

OTHER COUNTRIES.

The rates of postage to all foreign countries and colonies belonging to the Postal Union, are as follows:

Letters, per 15 grams (½ ounce), 5 cents. Postal cards, each, 2 cents.
Newspaper and other printed matter, per 2 ounces, 1 cent.
Commercial paper (such as legal and insurance papers, deeds, bills of lading, invoices, manuscript for publication, etc.):
Packets not in excess of 10 ounces 5 cents.
Packets in excess of 10 ozs., each 2 ozs., or fraction thereof, 1 cent.
Registration fee on letters or other articles, 8 cents.

Ordinary letters for countries of the Postal Union will be forwarded, whether any postage is prepaid on them or not. All other mailable matter must be prepaid at least partially. Mail matter for Hawaii and Cuba, if addressed to persons in the service of the United States, should be prepaid at domestic rates, and at Postal Union rates if addressed to other persons. Domestic rates apply to Porto Rico, Guam and the Philippine Islands.

AN AMUSING LETTER

The following letter in "babu" English, composed by a Hindoo graduate of Calcutta University is reproduced here for amusement rather than for imitation:

"To Babu Kaly Churan Ghose, Paternal Father of Miss Churan Ghose. Dear Sir:—It is with faltering penmanship that I write to have communication with you about the prospective condition of your damsel offspring. For remote time past secret passion has firing my bosom internally with loving for your daughter.

I have traveled all channels in the magnitude of my extensive jurisdiction cruelly to smother the growing love-knot that is being constructed within my inside, but the timid lamp of my affection, trimmed by Cupid's productive hands still nourishes my love-sickened breast.

Needless would it be for me to numerically extemporize the great conflagration that has generated in my head and heart. During the region of nightness my intellectual cranium has been entangled in thoughtful attitude for my beloved consort. Nocturnal slumberlessness has been the infirmity which has besieged my now degenerate constitution.

My educational abilities have abandoned me, and now I cling to those lovely long tresses for your much coveted daughter like mariner shipwrecked on rock of love.

As to my scholastic calabre, I was recently ejected from Calcutta University. I am now masticating and will make a motion as soon as I can perceive the business of life a little laxative.

I am of lofty and original lineage and independent incomes and hoping that having debated proposition in your pregnant mind you will concordantly corroborate in espousing your female progeny to my tender bosom and thereby acquire me into your family circle as yours faithful son-in-law.

Moti Lall Chatterjee."

Transcriber's Note:

Variable spelling and hyphenation have been retained. Minor punctuation inconsistencies have been silently corrected.

Corrections.

The first line indicates the original, the second the correction.

p. 13

  • 297. A lady, adressing birthday congratulations
  • 297. A lady, addressing birthday congratulations

p. 15

  • 345. Inviting lady
  • 345. Inviting a lady

p. 16

  • Ladies' cards 299
  • Ladies' cards 229

p. 66

  • We renewed thanks, we remain,
  • With renewed thanks, we remain,

p. 73

  • February 3, 10—.
  • February 3, 19—.

p. 99

  • You affectionate son,
  • Your affectionate son,

p. 111

  • Dear Mrs. Potter:—
  • Dear Mrs. Porter:—

p. 115

  • 152. From a Housemaid Excusing Herself for not Taking a a Situation
  • 152. From a Housemaid Excusing Herself for not Taking a Situation

p. 242

  • of the first part, for an in consideration
  • of the first part, for and in consideration
  • good right and awful authority,
  • good right and lawful authority,

p. 263

  • Abasement—Humilation,
  • Abasement—Humiliation,

p. 264

  • Avarice—Cupidity, selfishness, greed, coveteousness.
  • Avarice—Cupidity, selfishness, greed, covetousness.

p. 265

  • Designate—Name, call, specifiy.
  • Designate—Name, call, specify.

p. 266

  • Enlarge—Argument, increase, extend, widen.
  • Enlarge—Augment, increase, extend, widen.

p. 267

  • Helpless—Week, feeble, infirm.
  • Helpless—Weak, feeble, infirm.

p. 268

  • Landscape—Prospect, view, scene, ontlook.
  • Landscape—Prospect, view, scene, outlook.

p. 270

  • Remark—Innotation, note, comment, say, notice.
  • Remark—Annotation, note, comment, say, notice.
  • Repeat—Repeat, recite, detail.
  • Repeat—Recite, detail.
  • Shame—Reproach, ignominy, disgrace, reproach.
  • Shame—Reproach, ignominy, disgrace.

p. 273

  • Urgent—Pressing, earnest, importunate, earnest.
  • Urgent—Pressing, earnest, importunate.
  • Vague—Indefinite, uncertain, ununsettled, undetermined, equivocal.
  • Vague—Indefinite, uncertain, unsettled, undetermined, equivocal.

p. 275

  • 3. All appellations of the Diety should begin with a capital.
  • 3. All appellations of the Deity should begin with a capital.

p. 276

  • The following letter in "buba" English,
  • The following letter in "babu" English,

Errata

The first line indicates the original, the second how it should read:

p. 234

  • "Repondez, s'il vous plait,"
  • "Répondez, s'il vous plaît,"