mother are now here. They are anxious about your health, but more anxious that you should grow up to be a good man. You bear my name. My friends will all be kind to you, if you behave well. You must love and obey your parents; strive to learn; be kind and gentle to all; do nothing which you think to be wrong; always speak the truth; and remember your Creator in the days of your youth, You have a dear little sister, whom you must love, and take care of, as she is younger than Cotter met with great you are. hurt, in taking care of you. You must remember to be good to him: and always treat all members of the family kindly.

Your father and mother will leave Washington to-morrow, and will be in Boston in a few days. I hope they will find you all well.

This letter is from your affectionate grandfather, DANIEL Webster."

T VII.

OF COMMERCIAL OR BUSINESS LETTERS.
THEIR DEFINITION AND QUALITIES.

1. These are letters that regard trade, and all kinds of dealing among men. Hence, all statements relating to contracts, bargains, purchases, sales, finances, and anything in the commercial line, including mechanical labor, form the subject of this class of letters.

(1.) What are commercial, or business letters?

2. These letters, therefore, appertain chiefly to commercial and professional men.

3. Their style is invariably the simple.

4. Their principal requisites, are brevity, clearness, and order; to-wit: first, the different subjects of the letter must be laid down in a certain order, beginning from the most important, and gradually descending to the less important, or inversely; second, all superfluous words, and allusions are to be omitted; third, plain and simple language is to be used; fourth, if the letter should be very lengthy, a short recapitulation of the subjects, or items, at the end, is very proper.

5. The following letter illustrates the qualities which business letters must have:

Cicero to Tiro.

(A. U., 709.)

"Notwithstanding I wrote this morning by Harpatus, and nothing new has since occurred; yet, I cannot forbear making use of this opportunity of conveying a second letter to you upon the same subject; not, however, as entertaining the least distrust of your

(2.) To whom do these letters chiefly appertain ?

(3.) What is their style?

(4.) What must be their qualities?

(5.) Give an example of a business letter.

case, but, because the business, in which I have employed you, is of the last importance to me. My whole design, indeed, in parting with you, was, that you might thoroughly settle my affairs. I desire, therefore, in the first place, that the demands of Octillius and Aurelius may be satisfied. Your next endeavor must be to obtain part, at least, if you cannot procure the whole, of what is due to me from Flamına; and particularly insist on his making this payment by the first of January. With regard to that debt, which was assigned over to me, I beg you would exert your utmost diligence to recover it; but as to the advance payment of the other, not yet due, I leave you to act as you shall judge proper; and this much for my private concerns. As to those of the public, I desire that you would send me all the certain intelligence you can collect. Let me know what Octavius and Antony are doing; what is the general opinion of Rome; and what turn, you imagine, affairs are likely to take. I can scarcely forbear running into the midst of the scene; but I restrain myself in the expectation of letter.

your

Your news concerning Balbus proves true; he was at Aquinum at the time you were told, and Hirtius followed him thither the next day. I imagine they are both going to the waters of Baiæ; but let me know what you can discover of their motions.

Do not forget to remind the agents of Dolabella not to insist upon the payment of what is due from Papia. Farewell."

CHAPTER II.

OF THE SECONDARY PARTS OF THE LETTER.

We shall divide this chapter into two Articles. In the first, we will expound the secondary parts of a letter; in the second, we will give its praxis.

ARTICLE I.

THE DATE, ADDRESS, CLAUSE, AND OUTSIDE DIRECTIONS OF THE LETTER.

1. The date of the letter, is the inscription of the name of the place where; of the day, month, and year when, a letter is written; thus, "San Francisco, July 4th, 1867."

2. Letters should always bear a date, for the sake of reference, if necessary, and for other purposes. Business letters absolutely require it.

3. The date is generally placed at the head of the letter, on the right hand side of the writer; however, it is not against usage, to place it at the end of it, after the writer's signature.

4. The address of the letter, consists of the

(1.) What does the date of a letter mean?

(2.) Why must letters be dated?

(3.) Where is the date generally placed in a letter? (4.). In what does the address of the letter consist?

name and title of the person, to whom the letter is written.

5. The address is placed at the head of the letter, on the left hand side of the writer; because the object is to make the recipient aware that the letter is addressed to him; nevertheless, examples are not wanting, of the address being placed at the end of the letter, after the writer's signature.

6.

The title, is a name of distinction, assigned to a person, on account of his rank, office, or profession. If the person addressed has no special title, one that is common to all, must be used; hence, a gentleman is addressed as “Sir," or "Dear Sir;" a married lady as "Madam," or "Dear Madam ;" an unmarried lady, as "Miss," or "Dear Miss." The pronominal adjective my, is addressed when the two correspondents are intimate relations, or friends; but relations are always addressed according to their degree of relationship; as "My Dear Father," or "Brother," or "Uncle," etc.

7. If the person addressed bears, or has (5.) Why is the date placed at the head of a letter? (6.) What is the title?

What title is to be given to persons who have not a special one ?

(7.) Is the special title of a person to be placed before, or after

his name?