III. Formal. — 1. A letter to the President of the United States or to King George {118} should have the salutation Sir; to the Pope, Your Holiness; to the Vice-President, Mr. Vice-President, Sir; to a duke, My Lord Duke; to a baron, My Lord; to a cardinal, Your Eminence; to an archbishop in England, My Lord Archbishop, in the United States, The Most Reverend ——, Sir; to a bishop in England, My Lord Bishop, in the United States, Most Reverend Sir; to a dean or to an archdeacon, Reverend Sir; to a senator, congressman, mayor, or judge, Sir or Dear Sir; to an ambassador, To the —— Ambassador, Sir.
2. A colon should follow the salutation in formal letters.
THE TEXT OF THE LETTER
I. Business.[16] — 1. The idea that curtness and brevity are essential characteristics of a business letter exists now only in the minds of the inexperienced, the ignorant, or the careless. One still finds stock phrases and omitted articles to a surprising extent, — so much so that a well-written business letter carries with it more weight because of the contrast which it offers. The writers of the best business letters today lose no time in getting to the point, but they extend to their correspondent the courtesy of correct diction. Arrangement, punctuation, spelling, and grammar reflect favorably or otherwise upon the reputation of the house. {119}
[16] See example 1 on page [126.]
2. Avoid such monotonous expressions as the following: (a) Yours, your favor, your esteemed favor; write letter. (b) 12th inst., 12th, recent date; write 12 March. (c) I will say, I would say, I can say; write Allow me to say, or omit it altogether. (d) In reply would say; write In reply I would say, or In reply allow me to say. (e) Same, the same; write it or they. (f) Please find enclosed; write I enclose. (g) Hoping to hear soon, thanking you in advance, awaiting your response, and oblige have all become hackneyed. Omit them unless bearing specifically upon the text of the letter.
3. Do not omit I or We in such expressions as, Beg[17] to acknowledge, Have been awaiting your advice.
4. Do not use the first person singular when the letter is signed by the firm name.
5. Do not say the writer in one portion of the letter and I in another.
6. In arrangement, the first line of the text should begin on the line below the salutation, indented about one inch, and each paragraph should be similarly indented.[18] Another style, particularly useful when the letter covers several distinct subjects, is to use the reverse indention, with subheads in capitals at the extreme left.[19] {120}