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309
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness
·
Florence Hartley
112
LETTERS
OF
EXCUSE
should
be
frank
and
graceful.
They
must
be
written
promptly,
as
soon
as
the
occasion
that
calls
for
them
admits.
If
delayed,
they
become
insulting.
If
such
a
letter
is
called
forth
by
an
act
of
negligence
on
your
own
part,
apologize
for
it
frankly,
and
show
by
your
tone
that
you
sincerely
desire
to
regain
the
confidence
your
carelessness
has
periled.
If
you
have
been
obliged
by
positive
inability
to
neglect
the
fulfilment
of
any
promise
you
have
given,
or
any
commission
you
have
undertaken,
then
state
the
reason
for
your
delay,
and
solicit
the
indulgence
of
your
friend.
Do
not
write
in
such
stiff,
formal
language
that
the
apology
will
seem
forced
from
you,
but
offer
your
excuse
frankly,
as
if
with
a
sincere
desire
to
atone
for
an
act
of
negligence,
or
remove
a
ground
of
offence.
LETTERS
OF
INTELLIGENCE
are
generally
the
answer
to
letters
of
enquiry,
or
the
statement
of
certain
incidents
or
facts,
interesting
both
to
the
writer
and
reader
of
the
letter.
Be
careful
in
writing
such
a
letter
that
you
have
all
the
facts
in
exact
accordance
with
the
truth.
Remember
that
every
word
is
set
down
against
you,
if
one
item
of
your
information
prove
to
be
false;
and
do
not
allow
personal
opinion
or
prejudice
to
dictate
a
single
sentence.
Never
repeat
anything
gathered
from
mere
hearsay,
and
be
careful,
in
such
a
letter,
that
you
violate
no
confidence,
nor
force
yourself
upon
the
private
affairs
of
any
one.
Do
not
let
scandal
or
a
mere
love
of
gossip
dictate
a
letter
of
intelligence.
If
your
news
is
painful,
state
it
as
delicately
as
possible,
and
add
a
few
lines
expressive
of
sympathy.
If
it
is
your
pleasant
task
to
communicate
a
joyful
event,
make
your
letter
cheerful
and
gay.
If
you
have
written
any
such
letter,
and,
after
sending
it,
find
you
have
made
any
error
in
a
statement,
write,
and
correct
the
mistake
immediately.
It
may
be
a
trivial
error,
yet
there
is
no
false
or
mistaken
news
so
trifling
as
to
make
a
correction
unnecessary.
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