r firm. The
more usual titles are:

"Mr.," "Mrs.," "Miss," "Messrs.," "Reverend," "Doctor," "Professor," and
"Honorable." "Esquire," written "Esq." is used in England instead of the
"Mr." in common use in the United States. Although still adhered to by
some in this country, its use is rather restricted to social letters. Of
course it is never used with "Mr." Write either "Mr. George L. Ashley"
or "George L. Ashley, Esq."

The title "Messrs." is used in addressing two or more persons who are in
business partnership, as "Messrs. Brown and Clark" or "Brown & Clark";
but The National Cash Register Company, for example, should not be
addressed "Messrs. National Cash Register Company" but "The National
Cash Register Company." The form "Messrs." is an abbreviation of
"Messieurs" and should not be abbreviated in any way other than
"Messrs." The title "Miss" is not recognized as an abbreviation and is
not followed by a period.

Honorary degrees, such as "M.D.," "Ph.D.," "M.A.," "B.S.," "LL.D.,"
follow the name of the person addressed. The initials "M.D." must not be
used in connection with "Doctor" as this would be a duplication. Write
either "Dr. Herbert Reynolds" or "Herbert Reynolds, M.D." The titles of
"Doctor," "Reverend," and "Professor" precede the name of the addressed,
as: "Dr. Herbert Reynolds," "Rev. Philip Bentley," "Prof. Lucius
Palmer." It will be observed that these titles are usually abbreviated
on the envelope and in the inside address, but in the salutation they
must be written out in full, as "My dear Doctor," or "My dear
Professor." In formal notes one writes "My dear Doctor Reynolds" or "My
dear Professor Palmer." In less formal notes, "Dear Doctor Reynolds" and
"Dear Professor Palmer" may be used.

A question of taste arises in the use of "Doctor." The medical student
completing the studies which would ordinarily lead to a bachelor's
degree is known as "Doctor," and the term has become associated in the
popular mind with medicine and surgery. The title "Doctor" is, however,
an academic distinction, and although applied to all graduate medical
practitioners is, in all other realms of learning, a degree awarded for
graduate work, as Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), or for distinguished
services that cause a collegiate institution to confer an honorary
degree such as Doctor of Common Law (D.C.L.), Doctor of Law and
Literature (LL.D.), Doctor of Science (Sc.D.), and so on. Every holder
of a doctor's degree is