Hand-book of punctuation

by William Johnson Cocker

LETTER-FORMS.

I. Adrian, Mich., Nov. 6, 1877.

II. Mr. William K. Bixby,
Houston, Texas.

III. Dear Sir,—

IV. Your favor * * * * * * * * * *

V. Very truly,
Joseph M. Blain.

In the letter-form above given, there are five parts to be considered:—

I.	The Heading.
II.	The Address.
III.	Introductory Words.
IV.	The Body of the Letter.
V.	The Conclusion.

I. THE HEADING.

Definition.—The heading consists of the name of the city in which the writer lives, the state, the month, the day of the month, and the year; as,—

Adrian, Mich., Nov. 6, 1877.

REMARKS.

1. Great care should always be taken to give in the heading, not only the city, but also the state. If the letter should be sent to the Dead Letter Office, the heading will properly indicate the place to which the letter is to be returned.

2. The heading indicates to the person who receives the letter where an answer is to be sent.

3. Sometimes the day of the week is given; as, Adrian, Monday, Nov. 5, 1877.

Punctuation.—A comma should be placed after the city, state, and date. A period should be placed at the end. If a word is abbreviated, a period should be used to indicate the abbreviation, and a comma should also be used, if the word written out in full would require a comma; as,—

• Adrian, Michigan, November 6, 1877.
• Adrian, Mich., Nov. 6, 1877.

REMARKS.

1. Some writers thoughtlessly place a comma between the name of the month and the day of the month; as, November, 6, or Nov., 6. The 6 forms an essential part of the month, and should not be separated from it by a punctuation mark.

2. It is better to omit st, th, or d after the number indicating the day of the month. It certainly looks neater to write the date without the marks and dots that sometimes disfigure the heading of letters.

3. Some prefer to place the number before the name of the month; as, Adrian, Mich., 6 Nov., 1877. This, however, is not the usual practice.

Large Cities.—In large cities where letters are delivered by letter-carriers, it is necessary to give, in the heading of a letter, the number of the house and the name of the street. The order should be number, street, city, state, month, day of the month, year; as,—

215 Prospect St., Cleveland, Ohio,
March 5, 1877.

REMARKS.

1. Sometimes the size of the paper necessitates the use of three lines for the heading. If this should be necessary, the number of the house and the name of the street should be on the first line; the city and state, on the second; the month, the day of the month, and year, on the third. Each line should commence farther to the right than the preceding; as,—

215 Prospect St.,
Cleveland, Ohio,
March 5, 1877.

2. As few lines as possible should be used in the heading. In sending letters from well known cities like New York, Philadelphia, &c., it is not necessary to give the state. When the name of the state is omitted, the heading can usually be written on two lines.

3. A period should be placed after St., because it is an abbreviation. A comma should also follow the period, because the word written in full would require a comma. 215 Prospect St., is one item; Cleveland, a second; Ohio, a third; March 5, a fourth; 1877, a fifth.

A Small Town or Village.—If the place in which the writer lives, is a small town or village, the name of the place, county, and state should be given; as,—

Palmyra, Lenawee Co., Mich.,
Sept. 13, 1877.

REMARKS.

1. The county should be given so that an answer to the letter may be properly directed.

2. If the writer lives in the country, the post-office where his letters are received, should be given, and not the place where he lives.

Hotels.—When a letter is written at some prominent hotel, it is customary to give the name of the hotel in the heading; as,—

Grand Central Hotel, New York,
Jan. 10, 1877.

Seminaries and Colleges.—In writing from a seminary, college, or university, the name of the institution is sometimes given; as,—

Female Seminary, Cleveland, Ohio,
April 11, 1877.

Position.—The heading should be written on the first line, on the right hand, commencing about the middle of the line. If more than one line is required, the second line should commence farther to the right than the first, and the third than the second.

REMARKS.

1. When a letter does not fill a full page, the heading should not be written on the first line. The space at the head of the letter should be about the same as at the bottom. In business letters, this is not necessary.

2. Some write the city, state, month, &c., at the close of a letter. This is not however, the usual form.

II. THE ADDRESS.

Definition.—The address in the inside of a letter should be the same as the address on the envelope. It consists of the title and name of the person to whom the letter is written, and the place of his residence; as,—

Mr. William K. Bixby,
Houston, Texas.

REMARKS.

There are several reasons why the address should be written within the letter:—

1. Business men usually take an impression or make a copy of all letters written by themselves or their agents. It is a great convenience to have the address within the letter, so that it can be referred to, if necessary, at any time.

2. If the envelope is accidentally torn off, or is lost by not being properly sealed, the letter can still be forwarded to its destination, if the address is written within.

3. It is frequently the habit, on receiving a letter, to destroy the envelope. Sometimes, after the envelope is destroyed, the letter is lost. If there is an inside address, the letter, if found, can be returned.

Punctuation.—A comma should be placed after the name of the person and of the city. A period should be placed at the end.

REMARKS.

1. By placing to before the address, it will be seen that a period is required at its close, just as a period is required at the end of the address on the envelope; as, To William K. Bixby, Houston, Texas.

2. Some writers place a colon after the name of the state, but the practice is not a correct one. A semicolon should never be used.

Large Cities. When the person to whom the letter is written, lives in a large city, the number and name of the street should be given, as on the outside address; as,—

A. S. Barnes & Co.,
34 and 36 Madison St., Chicago.

REMARK.

If three lines are necessary, the title and name should be on the first line, the number and street on the second, the city and state on the third.

Small Towns and Villages.—When the letter is addressed to a small town or village, the county in which the town or village is situated, should be given; as,—

Mr. George Harvey,
Palmyra, Lenawee Co., Mich.

REMARK.

The title and name should be on one line; the town or village, county, and state should be on the second.

Letters to Intimate Friends or Relatives.—In writing letters to intimate friends or relatives, the address should be written at the close of the letter, at the left, commencing on the line immediately following the signature. It would be too formal to write the address at the head of the letter, and it would not be in keeping with the introductory words which immediately follow; as,—

Milburn Wagon Works, Toledo, Ohio,
Nov. 2, 1877.

Dear Mother,—

Your letter * * * * * * * * * * * *

Very affectionately,
Edgar W. Curtis.

Mrs. James E. Curtis,
Adrian, Mich.

REMARK.

When the heading occupies only one line, it is better to leave a blank line between the heading and the address.

Position.—The address should commence on the left, and should be written on, at least, two lines. The title and name should be on one line; the city and state, on the second, and farther to the right. The address, if possible, should be written on two lines. If the heading consists of two or three lines, the address should commence on the line immediately following the heading. If the heading consists of one line only, a blank line should be left between the heading and the address.

III. INTRODUCTORY WORDS.

Definition.—The introductory words consist of the greeting or salutation; as,—

Dear Sir,—

REMARKS.

1. Sometimes only one word is used in the greeting; as, Sir, Gentlemen.

2. When Sir, Gentlemen, Friend, Father, &c., are used as introductory words, they should always commence with a capital, as a mark of respect. In greeting friends or relatives, do not belittle them with small letters.

3. When dear, respected, honored, and words of a like character, are not the first words of the salutation, they should commence with a small letter; as, My dear Sir, My respected Friend. If they commence the salutation, capitals should be used; as, Dear Father, Respected Friend.

Punctuation.—A comma should be placed after the salutation, and a dash may also be used. The use of the dash, however, is simply a matter of taste.

REMARKS.

1. A colon should not be placed after the greeting, except in official or very formal salutations. See p. [100].

2. A semicolon should never be used.

Position.—The introductory words may be written in three different positions:—

1. When the address occupies two lines, the salutation should be written on the line immediately following, commencing a little to the right of the second line of the address; as,

Mr. Harry B. Hutchins,
Mt. Clemens, Mich.

Dear Sir,—

2. If the address consists of three lines, the first word of the salutation commences on a line with the number of the street; as,—

A. S. Barnes & Co.,
34 and 36 Madison St.,
Chicago.

Gentlemen,—

3. If the address is written at the close of the letter, the introductory words should commence on a line with the body of the letter, that is, with the marginal line; as,—

Dear Manning,—

Rest you merry in your own opinion. Opinion is a species of property; and though I am always desirous to share with my friend to a certain extent, I shall ever like to keep some tenets, and some property, properly my own. * * * * *

Your well-wisher and friend,
C. Lamb.

Forms of Salutation.—Custom authorizes the use of several forms of salutation. These may be arranged under four heads:—

1. To Strangers.

Sir, Madame, Miss ⸺.

2. To Acquaintances.

Dear Sir, Dear Madame, Dear Miss ⸺.

My dear Sir, My dear Madame, My dear Miss ⸺, imply a better acquaintance than Dear Sir, &c.

3. To Friends or Relatives.

Dear Friend, My dear Father, Dear Henry, &c.

4. To Business Firms or Corporate Bodies.

Sirs, Gentlemen, Ladies.

Salutations to Young Ladies.—Owing to the fact that we have no word corresponding to Sir that can be used in addressing young ladies, there is sometimes an uncertainty as to the proper salutation to be used. Although Madame may refer to a married or an unmarried lady, it is not an appropriate word with which to address a young lady. There are three forms that may be used:—

1. To a Stranger.

Decatur, Ill., May 6, 1877.

Miss Delia L. Corbus,—

* * * * *

Respectfully,
William C. Johns.

Miss Delia L. Corbus,
Adrian, Mich.

The name is given as the salutation, and the full address is given at the close of the letter.

2. To an Acquaintance.

Adrian, Mich., Sept. 3, 1877.

Dear Miss Dewey,—

* * * * * *

Very truly,
Thomas M. Hunter.

Miss Ella Dewey,
Hotel Madison, Toledo, Ohio.

3. To an Intimate Friend.—In writing to intimate friends, the character of the letter, and the intimacy of the writers, will suggest the proper forms.

Salutations to Married Ladies.

1. To a Stranger.

Mrs. J. C. Hill,
Adrian, Mich.

Madame,—

2. To an Acquaintance.

Mrs. W. S. Sears,
Adrian, Mich.

Dear Madame,—

3. To a Friend.

66 Summit St., Toledo, Ohio,
Dec. 1, 1877.

Dear Mrs. Millard,—

* * * * * *

Very truly,
Franklin Hubbard.

Mrs. A. L. Millard,
Adrian, Mich.

IV. BODY OF THE LETTER.

The First Word.—The first word should commence on the line immediately following the introductory words, and directly under the comma or the dash of the salutation; as,—

Dear Sir,—

Your letter * * * *

REMARK.

Some writers commence the body of the letter on the same line with the greeting.

Margin.—It is the usual custom to leave a margin on the left of a written page. This varies according to the taste of the writer and the size of the page.

Paragraphs.—A new paragraph should commence whenever a new subject is introduced, and, with the exception of the first paragraph, which begins directly under the comma or the dash of the salutation, each paragraph should commence a little to the right of the marginal line.

V. THE CONCLUSION.

Definition.—The conclusion is made up of two parts,—words of respect or affection, and the signature of the writer; as,—

Very truly,
Joseph M. Blain.

REMARKS.

1. Various forms of respect or affection are used in concluding letters; as, Respectfully, Most respectfully, Very affectionately, &c.

2. In using words of respect or affection, the first word only should be capitalized. In the salutation, Sir, Friend, &c., should commence with a capital, as a mark of respect; but in the conclusion of a letter, it would, to say the least, be in bad taste to give the same prominence to one’s own worth.

3. The conclusion should always be in keeping with the introductory words. If Sir were used in the salutation, it would not be proper to use Very affectionately at the close.

4. Although custom sanctions the use of Your obedient servant, Your most obedient servant, and similar forms, the practice is not to be commended. These expressions are associated with a past age, when men depended on the uncertain patronage of the great.

Punctuation.—A comma should be placed after the words of respect and affection, and a period should be placed at the end of the signature.

REMARK.

There is great carelessness exhibited by all writers in punctuating their names. A period should always be placed at the end of the signature, to indicate that the signature is complete. If the different parts of the name are written out in full, no punctuation marks should be placed between them; if, however, any part of the name is abbreviated, a period should always be used to indicate the abbreviation; as, Ettie Shier, Laura B. Palmer, Geo. L. Bennett.

Position.—The conclusion should be written on, at least, two lines. The words of respect and affection should be written on the line immediately following the close of the letter, on the right, commencing near the middle of the line; the signature should be on the line immediately following the words of respect and affection, a little farther to the right.

The Signature.—In signing one’s name, there are several important facts to be remembered:—

1. The writer’s full name should always be given, especially in business letters and in letters containing money, so that the letter can be returned, if, for any reason, it is sent to the Dead Letter Office. This, of course, can not be done unless the writer’s name is given in full. Thousands of dollars are lost every year by writers thoughtlessly signing themselves Nellie, Fred., &c. 25,000 letters, containing $1,301,780, were sent to the Dead Letter Office in the year 1877.

2. A lady, in writing to a stranger, should always sign her name so that the person receiving the letter will know, in answering, whether to address a single or a married lady; as, Miss Maria S. Colvin, Mrs. David Finley.

3. It is frequently the custom for married ladies to use their husband’s name; as, Mrs. E. B. Pond. Widow ladies use their Christian name.

4. If the person writing a letter to a stranger, occupies a responsible or official position, he should give this in connection with his signature, so that the person to whom the letter is written, may have some means of knowing how much attention to give to the letter.

SUMMARY.

I. To a Relative.

Ann Arbor, Mich., Nov. 15, 1877.

Dear Father,—

Your letter * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Affectionately,
James A. Stacy.

C. A. Stacy, Esq.,
Adrian, Mich.

II. To an Intimate Friend.

The form of a letter to an intimate friend should be the same as the preceding one.

Salutation to a married lady, p. [94].

III. To an Acquaintance.

Bay City, Mich., Dec. 4, 1877.

Mr. Wm. B. Mumford,
Adrian, Mich.

Dear Sir,—

Your letter * * * * * * * * * * *

Very truly,
William T. Smalley.

1. Salutation to a married lady, p. [94].

2. Letter-form to a young lady, p. [93].

IV. To a Stranger.

The same form should be used as to an acquaintance, with the exception of the salutation, which should be Sir, Madame, or Miss ⸺.

Letter-form to a young lady, p. [93].

V. Letter with Number and Street.

34 and 36 Madison St., Chicago,
Sept. 12, 1877.

Mr. Charles Scribner,
124 Grand St., N. Y.

Dear Sir,—

Your favor * * * * * * * * * * * *

Respectfully,
A. S. Barnes & Co.

1. For another form, see p. [91].

2. County and state, pp. [86], [89].

3. Hotels, pp. [86], [93].

4. Seminaries and colleges, p. [86].

VI. Official Letters.

150 Summit St., Toledo, Ohio,
Dec. 10, 1877.

Hon. Samuel J. Randall,
Speaker of the House,
Washington, D. C.

Sir:—

* * * * * * * *

Very respectfully,
Fred. L. Geddes.

To the Common Council of the City of Adrian.

Gentlemen:—

* * * * * *

Respectfully,
W. S. Wilcox.

For the use of the colon, see p. [91], Rem. 1.