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EXAMPLES OF CORRECT LETTER WRITING

1. BUSINESS LETTER I

NORWOOD, MASS.,

12 March, 1912

MESSRS. FREDERICK A. STOKES CO.

443 Fourth Ave.

New York, N.Y.

GENTLEMEN:

Your letter of 11 March is at hand, and we acknowledge receipt of the MS. of “The Writer’s Desk Book,” together with your detailed instructions. The MS. shall be put into type without delay, and galley proofs shall be sent to the author in accord with your advice. We expect to complete the typesetting within two weeks’ time.

Thanking you for the order, we are

Yours very truly,

THE PLIMPTON PRESS

2. BUSINESS LETTER II (reverse indention)

443 FOURTH AVE., NEW YORK, N. Y.

25 March, 1912

THE PLIMPTON PRESS

Norwood, Mass.

GENTLEMEN:

We beg leave to take up with you the various details of manufacture relating to the various books in your hands, as follows:

WRITER’S DESK BOOK: In addition to the proofs which you are now sending to the author, please send two additional sets of galley and page proof to us.

MEISSONIER: The sample page which you submit is accepted. We shall require two sets of page-proof only.

MAXIMS OF METHUSELAH: Please print an edition of 5000 copies, using paper which you have in stock for us.

Yours very truly,

FREDERICK A. STOKES CO.

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3. INFORMAL OR FRIENDLY LETTER

NICE,    

August 28, 1857

MY DEAR ENTHUSIAST,

Again I request your kind offices by the enclosed note, in giving it or forwarding it to my brother. Charles and I have been much gratified in reading aloud — he reading to me while I work — the life of Shakespeare by Thomas Campbell. It is put together in a most pleasant spirit, which all the biographies are not. But a poet is sure to write well on a poet. Everything that Coleridge, for instance, says of our Idol is in charming taste; and also Barry Cornwall’s Memoir and Essay on Shakespeare and his Writings has the same delightful poetic charm. After reading the heap of inappreciative discussions on the subject, it is truly refreshing to go through the dissertations of such authors as these upon our poet of poets. They can best feel his merits, and can therefore most veneratingly and modestly treat the theme of his genius and greatness.

With united kindest regards from Charles and myself to you and Mrs. Balmanno, believe me to be

Gratefully,

MARY COWDEN CLARKE

ROBERT BALMANNO, ESQ.

NEW YORK, N. Y.

4. FORMAL SOCIAL NOTES

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Winslow request the pleasure of Mr. James Gorham’s company at dinner on Thursday evening, January the twelfth, at half after seven o’clock.
487 Beacon Street
January the fourth25
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Mr. James Gorham regrets that an en­gage­ment pre­vious­ly made pre­vents26 him from ac­cep­ting the kind in­vi­ta­tion of Mr. and Mrs. Winslow for din­ner on Thurs­day even­ing, Jan­uary the twelfth.
289 Commonwealth Avenue
January the fifth

25 While this form is commonly used, it is not grammatically correct. One may say George the Fourth, because three Georges have preceded him. Strictly speaking, one should write The fourth of January.

26 See under Tense on page 112.

5. FORMAL NOTE TO TRADESMAN

Mrs. Gorham de­sires Mes­srs. Smith & Rob­in­son to send for her ex­am­i­na­tion the elec­tric iron­ing ap­pa­ra­tus advertised in this morning’s “Herald.”
312Sigourney Street
12 January, 1912

(A note of this kind should always have the address.)