tched out and yawning in an easy chair, no one would have to point
out the rudeness of such behavior; yet countless kindly intentioned people
begin their letters mentally reclining and yawning in just such a way.

=HOW TO BEGIN A LETTER=

Suppose you merely change the wording of the above sentences, so that
instead of slamming the door in your friend's face, you hold it open:

"Do you think I have forgotten you entirely? You don't know, dear
Mary, how many letters I have written you in thought."

Or:

"Time and time again I have wanted to write you but each moment
that I saved for myself was always interrupted by _something_."

One of the frequent difficulties in beginning a letter is that your answer
is so long delayed that you begin with an apology, which is always a lame
duck. But these examples indicate a way in which even an opening apology
may be attractive rather than repellent. If you are going to take the
trouble to write a letter, you are doing it because you have at least
remembered some one with friendly regard, or you would not be writing at
all. You certainly would like to convey the impression that you want to be
with your friend in thought for a little while at least--not that she
through some malignant force is holding you to a grindstone and forcing
you to the task of making hateful schoolroom pot-hooks for her selfish
gain.

A perfect letter has always the effect of being a light dipping off of the
top of a spring. A poor letter suggests digging into the dried ink at the
bottom of an ink-well.

It is easy to begin a letter if it is in answer to one that has just been
received. The news contained in it is fresh and the impulse to reply needs
no prodding.

Nothing can be simpler than to say: "We were all overjoyed to hear from
you this morning," or, "Your letter was the most welcome thing the postman
has brought for ages," or, "It was more than good to have news of you this
morning," or, "Your letter from Capri brought all the allure of Italy back
to me," or, "You can't imagine, dear Mary, how glad I was to see an
envelope with your writing this morning." And then you take up the various
subjects in Mary's letter, which should certainly launch you without
difficulty upon topics of your own.

=ENDING A LETTER=

Just as the beginning of a letter should give the reader an impression of
greeting, so should the end express friendly or affectionate leave-taking.
Nothing can be