HF 5721

AG

GENERAL

COPYRIGHT, 1904,

BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

Set

up and electrotyped. Published July, 1904.

139861

Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing & Co. - Berwick & Smith Co.

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

CT

UNIVERSITY

CALIFORNIA

PREFACE

66

WHEN asked to teach Commercial Correspondence some years ago, the writer found his task most difficult and unsatisfactory. There were no books which treated the subject beyond the mechanical arrangement of a letter, followed by rules on punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and penmanship. Though all books on rhetoric emphasize the importance of letter writing, they give no adequate treatment of the subject; and such exercises as they furnish are generally trivial, meagre, inadequate, as, for example, "write a letter purporting to be from an aged doll ;” “write a letter dropped from a balloon;" " write a letter applying for a position as first mate on a steamer, giving such particulars as would be likely to be required ; ” etc.

It will be conceded that there is no more useful accomplishment than the ability to write a good letter. It is one of those practical arts regarded as a guarantee of other abilities and helping to introduce one into the world. The extension of higher commercial education and the increasing growth in transacting business by correspondence undoubtedly require that serious study be given to this subject. As both teacher and student must have material with which to work, this book is submitted as presenting a course which is full, definite, and practical.

The Chapter on Postal Information contains such facts
as should be known by all. It has been prepared in
consultation with various post-office officials. Records
of the post office and the experience of every business
house demonstrate the necessity for more general and
accurate knowledge of our postal arrangements.

The author desires to make grateful acknowledgments
for courtesies extended to him by Dr. James MacAlister,
President of Drexel Institute; Hon. Ellwood T. Hance,
former postmaster of Detroit; Hon. Clayton McMichael,
postmaster of Philadelphia ; Mr. Arnold Shoeni, of the
Philadelphia post office; Mrs. Patti Lyle Collins, of the
Dead-Letter Office; William H. Baker, Esq., Vice-

,
President of the Postal-Telegraph Company; Miss Gal-
laher, of Mountain Seminary, Birmingham, Pa.; Miss
Alice B. Kroeger, Librarian, and Miss Lillian M. Dalton,
and Mr. Thomas Smith, of Drexel Institute; and espe-
cially to the editor, Dr. Cheesman A. Herrick, whose
suggestions and advice always proved helpful.

The plain business writing, shown in the letters and
envelope addresses, was done by Mr. H. W. Flickinger,
and the engraver's script, shown in the formal notes, by
Mr. Charlton V. Howe, both of Philadelphia.

C. L. A.

DREXEL INSTITUTE,

June, 1901.

II. THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER

1. The Form.

(a) Heading .

(6) Introduction

(C) Salutation

(d) Body

(e) Complimentary Close

2. The Use of Titles

3. Abbreviations used in Correspondence

4. The Meaning and Use of Degrees

5. Correct Usage in addressing Government Officials

6. Correct Forms in addressing Envelopes

7. Folding Letters .

8. Letters containing Enclosures

9. Correspondence : How handled

(a) Incoming Letters

(6) Outgoing Letters

(c) Press Copying

(d) Carbon Copying

10. Miscellaneous Hints .

III. THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER .

1. Elements

(a) Clearness

(6) Terseness

(c) Coherency

(d) Completeness.

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