Think-consider, deliberate, mediate, ponder, conceive, conteinplate, imagine, surmise. Though-allow, while, although. Thought-contemplation, meditation, fancy, idea, supposition, reflection, conception, conceit. Thoughtful - anxious, consider. ate, careful, attentive, discreet, contemplative. Thoughtless inconsiderate, indiscreet, careless, foolish, hasty, unthinking. Throw-heave, cast, hurl, fling. Time-period, season, age, date, duration, era, epoch. Timely opportune, seasonable, early. Tired wearied, fatigued, har assed. less, dishonest, perfidious, heartless. Trepidation-palpitation, emotion, trembling, tremor, agitation. Trespass violation, transgression, offense, misdemeanor. Trial-endeavor, attempt, effort, experiment, test, proof, temptation. Trick cheat, fraud, deception, artifice, imposture, stratagem, jugglery. Trifling-insignificant, inconsiderable, unimportant, light, futile, petty, frivolous. Trip-journey, jaunt, excursion, tour, ramble, voyage. Trouble-anxiety, vexation, adversity, affliction, sorrow, distress. Troublesome annoying. disturbing, vexing, perplexing, irksome, teasing, harassing, importunate. True-honest, candid, sincere, reliable, plain, upright. Truth-fidelity, veracity, candor, faithfulness, honesty. Try-endeavor, attempt. Turbulent-raging, tumultuous, seditious, mutinous, riotous. Turn-revolve, whirl, twist, circulate. wind, gyrate, contort, bend, distort, wheel. Type-illustration, symbol, figure, emblem, mark. Unconcerned-careless, regardless, uninterested, indifferent. Uncover-reveal, expose, strip, discover. Undaunted courageous, bold, fearless, intrepid. Undeniable indisputable, incontrovertible, unquestionable. Under-subordinate, lower, beneath, below, inferior, subject, subjacent. Understanding-conception, intelligence, comprehension, sense, perception, faculty, reason, intellect. Undetermined-uncertain, irresolute, hesitating, wavering, unsteady, doubtful, vacillating, fluctuating. Unfaithful — untruthful, faithless, dishonest, disloyal, treacherous, perfidious. Unfold-explain, divulge, reveal, unravel, develop, expand, open, display. Unhandy- ungainly, awkward, uncouth, clumsy. Unhappy-distressed, miserable, unfortunate, afflicted, wretched. Uniform - even, alike, equal, same. Unimportant trivial, trifling, immaterial, insignificant, petty, inconsiderable. Unlearned - uninformed, unlettered, ignorant, illiterate. Unlike distinct, dissimilar, different. Unlimited-infinite, boundless, unbounded, illimitable. Unquestionable - indubitable, undeniable, indisputable, incontrovertible. Unravel unfold, disentangle, extricate, reveal. Unrelenting-unforgiving, hardhearted, inexorable, relentless. Unruly unmanageable, uncontrollable, refractory, ungovernable. Unseasonable ill-timed, unfit, untimely, unsuitable, late. Unsettled doubtful, wavering. undetermined, unsteady, vacillat ing. Unspeakable – unutterable, inexpressible. Unstable inconstant, mutable, vacillating, changeable, wavering. Untimely inopportune, premature, unseasonable, unsuitable. Unwilling-loth, backward, disinclined, disliking, averse, reluct ant. Upbraid - reprove, censure, reproach, blame. Uproar-noise, confusion, bustle, tumult, disturbance. Urbanity courtesy, affability, suavity, civility. Vacant-void, empty, devoid, unused. Vague-unsettled, indefinite. Vain-conceited, useless, fruitless, idle, ineffectual. Valedictory - farewell, taking leave. Valuable expensive, costly, precious, useful, worthy, estimable. Value-price, worth, rate. appreciation, estimation, account, appraise, assess, compute, regard, respect. Vanity-pride, haughtiness, conceit, arrogance. Vanquish — subdue, overcome, slay, conquer, confute, subjugate. Variable-transitory, capricious, fickle, unsteady, changeable, versatile, wavering. Variation - deviation, change, variety, vicissitude. Variety-diversion, change, dif ference. Vexation — chagrin, uneasiness, trouble, sorrow, mortification. Vicinity-locality, neighborhood, nearness, section. View-picture, prospect, survey, landscape, see, look, behold. Vigorous robust, active, energetic, powerful, agile, forcible, potent. Violent turbulent, boisterous, impetuous, furious. Virtue-chastity, purity, efficacy, goodness. Visible apparent, discernible, evident, plain, distinct, manifest, doubtless, obvious. Visionary fanatic, enthusiast, dreamer, imaginary, fanatical. Volatility-lightness, flightiness, levity, giddiness, sprightliness, liveliness. Vouch-assure, warrant, affirm, aver, protest, attest. Vulgar ordinary, common, low, mean. W Wages-stipulation, hire, salary, pay, allowance. Wakeful-vigilant, attentive, ob servant, watchful. Ware-goods, merchandise, commodity. Warlike-military, martial. Warmth fervor, ardor, cordiality, animation, heat. ferveney, vigor, glow, zeal, vehemence. Warning-notice, advice, monition, caution. Wary-discreet, guarded, watchful, cautious, circumspect. Waste- loose, dissipate, spend, expend, consume, lavish, squander. Wasteful-profuse, extravagant, lavish, prodigal. Watchful cautious, observant, vigilant, careful, circumspect, attentive, wakeful. Waver- hesitate, vacillate, fluctuate, scruple, to be undetermined. Way-plan, method, course, manner, system, means, fashion, road, route. Weak-infirm, feeble, enfeebled, debilitated, enervated. Wealth-opulence, riches, afflu ence. OU have thoughts that you wish to communicate to another through the medium of a letter. Possibly you have a favor to bestow. Quite as likely you have a favor to ask. In either case you wish to Write that letter in a manner such as to secure the respect and consideration of the person with whom you correspond. The rules for the mechanical execution of a letter are few; understanding and observing the rules already considered for composition, the writer has only to study perfect naturalness of expression, to write a letter well. Style and Manner. The expression of language should, as nearly as possible, be the same as the writer would speak. A letter is but a talk on paper. The style of writing will depend upon the terms of intimacy existing between the parties. If to a superior, it should be respectful; to inferiors, courteous; to friends, familiar; to relatives, affectionate. Do not be guilty of using that stereotyped phrase, Dear Friend: I now take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well, and hope you are enjoying the same great blessing. Be original. You are not exactly like any one else. Your letter should be a representative of yourself, not of anybody else. The world is full of imitators in literature, who pass on, leaving no reputation behind them. Occasionally originals come up, and fame and fortune are ready to do them service. The distinguished writers of the past and present have gone aside from the beaten paths. Letter writing affords a fine opportunity for the display of originality. In your letter be yourself; write as you would talk. In the preparation of this chapter the author gathered many valuable suggestions from "Frost's Original Letter-Writer," and other works on epistolary correspondence, published by Dick & Fitzgerald, New York. 77 Body of the Letter. Complimentary closing. Signature. Purity of Expression. Bear in mind the importance, in your correspondence, of using always the most chaste and beautiful language it is possible to command, consistent with ease and naturalness of expression. Especially in the long letters of friendship and love-those missives that reveal the heart-the language should show that the heart is pure. Let your letter be the record of the fancies. and mood of the hour; the reflex of your aspirations, your joys, your disappointments; the faithful daguerreotype of your intellectuality and your moral worth. You little dream how much that letter may influence your future. How much it may give of hope and happiness to the one receiving it. How much it may be examined, thought of, laughed over and commented on; and when you suppose it has long since been destroyed, it may be brought forth, placed in type, and published broadcast to millions of readers. When, in after years, the letter you now write is given to the world, will there be a word, an expression, in the same that you would blush to see in print? Write in the spirit of cheerfulness. It is unkind to the correspondent to fill the sheet with petty complainings, though there are occasions when the heart filled with grief may confide all its troubles and sorrows to the near friend, and receive in return a letter of sympathy and condolence, containing all the consolation it is possible for the written missive to convey. The length of letters will depend upon circumstances. As a rule, however, business letters should be short, containing just what is necessary to be said, and no more. Form. To be written correctly according to general usage, a letter will embrace the following parts: 1st, the date; 2nd, complimentary address; 3rd, body of the letter; 4th, complimentary closing; 5th signature; 6th, superscription. The above shows the position of the several parts of an ordinary letter. LETTER WRITING ILLUSTRATED. Position of the Various Parts, The following position of the several parts of a letter should be observed: 1. Write the date near the upper right hand corner of the sheet. 2. Commence the complimentary address on the line next beneath one inch from the left side of the sheet. 3. The body of the letter should be com. menced nearly under the last letter of the complimentary address. 4. Begin the complimentary closing on the line next beneath the body of the letter, one half of the distance from the left to the right side of the page. 5. The center of the signature may be under the last letter of the complimentary closing. 6. The name and address of the person written to should come on the line beneath the signature, at the left of the sheet. 79 Kinds of Paper to Use. Be particular to use a sheet appropriate in shape to the purpose for which it is employed. Paper is now manufactured of every size adapted to the wants of any article written. The names of the various kinds of paper in general use are Legal-cap, Bill-paper, Foolscap, Letter-paper, Commercial-note, Note-paper and Billet. In the writing of all Legal Documents, such as wills, taking of testimony, articles of agreement, etc., legal cap is generally used, characterized by a red line running from top to bottom of the sheet. For Bills, paper is commonly ruled expressiy for the purpose, and generally bears the name and business advertisement of the person using the same, at the top. When writing Notes, Grders, Receipts, Compositions, Petitions, Subscription Headings, etc., foolscap paper is used. For the ordinary friendship letter or other 80 ETIQUETTE OF LETTER WRITING AND TITLES. long letter, it is best to use letter paper, which in size is four-fifths the length of foolscap. The common Business Letter should be so brief as generally to require but one page of commercial note, which is somewhat narrower and shorter than letter paper. Note and billet paper are the smallest sheets made, being suitable for Notes of Invitation, Parents' Excuses for children to teachers, and other written exercises that are very brief. Etiquette of Letter Writing. As a rule, every letter, unless insulting in its character, requires an answer. To neglect to answer a letter, when written to, is as uncivil as to neglect to reply when spoken to. In the reply, acknowledge first the receipt of the letter, mentioning its date, and afterwards consider all the points requiring attention. If the letter is to be very brief, commence sufficiently far from the top of the page to give a nearly equal amount of blank paper at the bottom of the sheet when the letter is ended. Should the matter in the letter continue beyond the first page, it is well to commence a little above the middle of the sheet, extending as far as necessary on the other pages. It is thought impolite to use a half sheet of paper in formal letters. As a matter of economy and convenience for business purposes, however, it is customary to have the card of the business man printed at the top of the sheet, and a single leaf is used. In writing a letter, the answer to which is of more benefit to yourself than the person to whom you write, enclose a postage stamp for the reply. Letters should be as free from erasures, interlineations, blots and postscripts as possible. It is decidedly better to copy the letter than to have these appear. A letter of introduction or recommendation, should never be sealed, as the bearer to whom it is given ought to know the contents. Titles. T IS customary, in the heading of petitions to persons in official positions, in the complimentary address of a letter, and in superscriptions, to give each their proper title. These are divided into titles of respect, military, and professional titles. Titles of respect are:-Mr., from Master; Mrs., from Mistress; Miss, from the French, De-moi-selle; Esq., from Esquire, an English Justice, of the Peace, or member of the legal profession, but applied very indiscriminately to males throughout this country generally. name. Two titles of the same class should not be applied to the same Thus, in addressing John Smith, do not say Mr. John Smith, Esq.; though we may say Mr. John Smith, or John Smith, Esq. If the profession of the person addressed be known, the professional title alone should be used. If the person be entitled to two titles the highest is given. Titles of respect are usually placed before the name; as, Mr., Hon., Rev., Dr., and military titles. Professional titles sometimes precede and sometimes follow the name; as, Dr. John Smith, or John Smith, M. D.; Prof. John Smith, or John Smith, A. M. . The following list illustrates the various titles used for the different ranks, among individuals, either in the complimentary address or superscription on the envelope. To Royalty. "To the King's Most Excellent Majesty." To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty." "To his Royal Highness, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales." In like manner all the other members, male and female, of the Royal family are addressed. To Nobility. "To his Grace the Duke of Argyle." To the Most Noble the Marquis of Westminster." "To the Right Honorable the Earl of Derby." To the Right Honorable Lord Viscount Sidney." "To the Honorable Baron Cranworth." The wives of noblemen have the same titles as their nusbands; thus, "To her Grace the Duchess of Argyle." "To the Most Noble the Marchioness of Westminster." The title of Honorable, in great Britain, is applied to the younger sons of noblemen (the elder son taking, by courtesy, the title next in rank below that of his father). It is also given to members of parliament and to certain persons holding positions of honor and |