25 Endicott Street, Boston, Mass.,
August 6, 1904.
The Introduction.—The introduction consists of the address—the name, the title, and the place of business or the residence of the one addressed—and the salutation.
The Salutation and the Complimentary Close should be appropriate to the person addressed. (See list of forms of [Salutation and Complimentary Close] on [page 737]).
Titles of respect and courtesy should appear in the address. Prefix Mr. to a man’s name; Messrs. to the names of several gentlemen; Miss to that of a young lady; Mrs. to that of a married lady. Prefix Dr. to the name of a physician, but never Mr. Dr.; Rev. to the name of a clergyman, or Rev. Mr. if you do not know his christian name; Rev. Dr. if he is a Doctor of Divinity, or write Rev. before the name and D. D. after it.
Salutations vary with the station of the one addressed, or the writer’s degree of intimacy with him. Strangers may be addressed as Sir, Rev. Sir, General, Madam, etc.; acquaintances as Dear Sir, Dear Madam, etc.; friends as My dear Sir, My dear Madam, My dear Jones, etc.; and near relatives and other dear friends as My dear Wife, My dear Boy, Dearest Ellen, etc. Examples:
Mr. William C. Jones,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Your letter, etc.
American Book Co.,
New York City.
Dear Sirs:
Kindly send, etc.
The Body.—Begin the body of the letter at the end of the salutation, and on the same line, if the introduction consists of four lines—you may do so even if the introduction consists of but three—in which case the comma after the salutation should be followed by a dash; otherwise, on the line below. (See general observations as to subject matter, style, etc.)