Printed for F. C. and J. Rivington; G. Wilkie; J. Walker; J. Nunn; J. Cuthell; W. Lowndes; Printed by S. Hamilton, Weybridge, Surrey. P R E F A С Е. THE following Collection of Letters is a part of a design, which the Editor had formed, to select and publish, in large volumes, such compositions, both in verse and prose, as he judged might be useful to young persons, by conducing to their improvement in their own language, while they were cultivating an acquaintance with the ancients, and pursuing all other accomplishments of a liberal education. The first two parts of his plan, Elegant Extracts in Prose and Poetry, already published, and repeatedly printed, have been received with a degree of favour, which evinces that the preconceived idea of their utility has been amply confirmed by the decisions of experience. Animated by their good reception, the Editor determined to proceed in his design, and to add, in a similar volume, a copious Collection of LETTERS. It occurred to him, that no literary exercise is in such constant request as Letterwriting. All are not to be Poets, Orators, or Historians; but all, at least above the lowest rank, are to be sometimes Letter-writers. The daily intercourse of common life cannot be duly preserved without this mode of communication. That much pleasure, and much advantage, of various kinds, is derived from it, is obvious and incontestable. Every emergence furnishes occasion for it. It is necessary to friendship, and to love; to interest, and to ambition. In every pursuit, and in every department of polished life, to write Letters is an indispensable requisite; and to write them well, a powerful recommendation. By epistolary correspondence the most important business, commercial, political, and private, is usually transacted. Who is there, who at some period of his life, finds it not of consequence to him to draw up an address with propriety, to narrate an event, to describe a character faithfully, or to write letters of compliment, condolence, or congratulation? Many natives of this country spend their youth in foreign climes. How greatly does it contribute to raise their characters at home, when they are able to write correct and judicious letters to their relations, their friends, their patrons, and their employers? A clear, a discreet, and an elegant letter, establishes their character in their native country, while perhaps their persons are at the distance of the antipodes, raises esteem among all who read it, and often lays a foundation for future eminence. It goes before them, like a pioneer, and smooths the road, and levels the hill that leads up to honour and to fortune. Add to these considerations, that, as an easy exercise to improve the style, and prepare for that composition which several of the professions require, nothing is more advantageous than the practice of letter-writing at an early age. In every view of the subject, letter-writing appeared to the Editor so useful and important, that he thought he could not render a more acceptable service to young students, than to present them with a great variety of epistolary MODELS, comprised, for their more convenient use, in one capacious volume. Models in art are certainly more instructive than rules; as examples in life are more efficacious than precepts. Rules indeed for letter-writing, of which there is a great abundance, appear to be little more than the idle effusions of pedantry; the superfluous inventions of ingenuity misemployed. The letters which the writers of rules have given as examples for imitation, are often nothing more than mere centos in the expression, and servile copies in the sentiments. They have nothing in them of the healthy hue and lively vigour of nature. They resemble puny plants raised in a clime ungenial, by the gardener's incessant labour, yet possessing, after all, neither beauty, flavour, nor stamina for duration. The few rules necessary in the ART, as it is called, of Letter-writing, are such as will always be prescribed to itself, by a competent share of common sense, duly informed by a common education. A regard must always be shewn to time, place, and person. He who has good sense will of course observe these things; and he who has it not, will not learn to observe them by the rules of rhetoricians. But to assist invention and to promote order, it may be sometimes expedient to make, in the mind, a division of a Letter into three parts, the Aristotelian beginning, middle, and end: or in other words, into the exordium or introduction, the statement, proposition, or narrative, and the conclusion. The exordium or introduction should be employed, not indeed with the formality of rhetoric, but with the ease of natural politeness and benevolence, in conciliating esteem, favour, and attention; the proposition or narrative, in stating the business with clearness and precision; the conclusion, in confirming what has been premised, in making apologies, in extenuating offence, and in cordial expressions of respect and affection:-but is there any thing in these precepts not already obvious to common sense? As to the epistolary style, of which so much has been said, those who wish to confine it to the easy and familiar have formed too narrow ideas of epistolary composition. The Epistle admits every subject: and every subject has its appropriate style. Ease is not to be confounded with negligence. In the most familiar Letter on the commonest subject, an Attic neatness is required. Ease in writing, like ease in dress, notwithstanding all its charms, is but too apt to degenerate to the carelessness of the sloven. In the daily attire of a gentleman, gold lace may not be requisite; but rags or filth are not to be |