My dear G.—Johnny has upset the coach.
Yours, etc.
Sir Walter Scott said that the most pointed letter he knew was the answer of Lord Macdonald to the head of the Glengarry family:
My dear Glengarry—As soon as you
can prove yourself to be my chief, I shall
be ready to acknowledge you; in the meantime,
I am yours, Macdonald.
The following is quoted as Francis Jeffrey's wicked reply to a begging letter:
Sir—I have received your letter of
6th inst., soliciting a contribution in behalf
of the funds of ——. I have very
great pleasure in subscribing [with this
word the writer contrived to end the first
page, and then continued overleaf] myself,
Yours faithfully,
Francis Jeffrey.
A certain lady having written to Talleyrand informing him of the death of her husband, he replied:
Dear Marquise—Alas! Your devoted
Talleyrand.
At a later date the same lady wrote telling him of her approaching marriage. To this he replied:
Dear Marquise—Ho, ho! Your devoted
Talleyrand.