tter-writers of the past and of the
present, is that in other days they all tried to write, and to express
themselves the very best they knew how--to-day people don't care a bit
whether they write well or ill. Mental effort is one thing that the
younger generation of the "smart world" seems to consider it unreasonable
to ask--and just as it is the fashion to let their spines droop until they
suggest nothing so much as Tenniel's drawing in Alice in Wonderland of the
caterpillar sitting on the toad-stool--so do they let their mental
faculties relax, slump and atrophy.

To such as these, to whom effort is an insurmountable task, it might be
just as well to say frankly: If you have a mind that is entirely bromidic,
if you are lacking in humor, all power of observation, and facility for
expression, you had best join the ever-growing class of people who frankly
confess, "I can't write letters to save my life!" and confine your
literary efforts to picture post-cards with the engaging captions "X is my
room," or "Beautiful weather, wish you were here."

It is not at all certain that your friends and family would not rather
have frequent post-cards than occasional letters all too obviously
displaying the meagerness of their messages in halting orthography.

=BEGINNING A LETTER=

For most people the difficulty in letter-writing is in the beginning and
the close. Once they are started, the middle goes smoothly enough, until
they face the difficulty of the end. The direction of the Professor of
English to "Begin at the beginning of what you have to say, and go on
until you have finished, and then stop," is very like a celebrated
artist's direction for painting: "You simply take a little of the right
color paint and put it on the right spot."

=HOW NOT TO BEGIN=

Even one who "loves the very sight of your handwriting," could not
possibly find any pleasure in a letter beginning:

"I have been meaning to write you for a long time but haven't had
a minute to spare."

Or:

"I suppose you have been thinking me very neglectful, but you
know how I hate to write letters."

Or:

"I know I ought to have answered your letter sooner, but I
haven't had a thing to write about."

The above sentences are written time and again by persons who are utterly
unconscious that they are not expressing a friendly or loving thought. If
one of your friends were to walk into the room, and you were to receive
him stre