We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your order of Dec. 2. Since you mention the fact that the goods are intended as a Christmas surprise, we have taken the liberty of holding them, and writing for orders as to desired date of shipment to the address you specify. We remain,
Very respectfully yours,
Weaver and Weaver.
Written Exercise.—Write a petition to some person or persons in authority, following in general the form given below:—
The Faculty of Lewis Institute.
Gentlemen: We, the undersigned, respectfully ask the privilege of organizing a new literary society, to be called the Parnassian. We enclose a copy of the proposed constitution, which we are ready to sign. If further information is desired, we shall be glad to appoint a committee to wait upon you at any time you may designate.
L. Gustafson,
H. Bulkley, etc.
Formal Social Letters.—Formal correspondence indicates by its style the mere acquaintance of the correspondents, or, in the words of Miss Morton,[51] “the bounds of distance which for any reason it is desirable to maintain.” A formal letter should actually be formal. If one attempts to do an elaborate thing, one ought to do it thoroughly and properly. A letter that begins with formal brevity and runs off into colloquial prolixity is a burlesque. A letter that begins in the third person and ends in the first is a farce.
Written Exercise.—Following in general the models given below, write (1) a formal invitation to dinner; (2) an acceptance of this invitation; (3) regrets at inability to accept.
1. Mr. Frederick Estoff, Jr., requests the pleasure of Mr. Edward Edwards’ company at dinner on Tuesday, June fourth, at seven o’clock, to meet Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Estoff.