To an ambassador or minister, Your Excellency.
To the chancellor of France, My Lord, and Your Lordship.
The title Excellency is not given to ladies.
Persons who have an exact knowledge of the language and usage of the court, know what is the most proper manner of expressing themselves. We will give some examples in which the different degrees of respect may be readily perceived.
‘I have received the letter with which you have been pleased to honor me.’
‘I have received the letter which you have done me the favor to write to me, which you have done me the honor to write to me, which you have taken the trouble to write to me.’
There are some persons who commence their letters with these words; I have received yours
of the 12th current; this is a fault; we should say, your letter. The first is the style of those people who, being pressed with business, are obliged to make abbreviations; and we must, in the common customs of life, beware of imitating them in this respect. We may say the same in respect to persons who write at the [p139] top of their letters, ‘I have received your honored letter of such a date;’ or, ‘in answer to your honored letter;’ or, ‘I write you these few words.’ All these forms are objectionable.
We should never repeat in the first sentence of a letter, the names My Lord, Sir, or Madam, with which we began. But if we write to a prince, or even to a minister, we should after the first line use the words, Your Majesty, Your Highness, or Your Excellency, and repeat them from time to time, in the course of the letter, if it is of some length.
As to the conclusion of a letter, we should not say simply, I am, without adding some such phrase as these; With the most profound respect; with profound respect, with the highest regard, &c. To persons who have the title of majesty, highness, eminence, &c. we say, I am your majesty’s, or your highness’s, &c. very humble, &c.