change this to, and thou who kindlest and who quenchest suns.' This is to say, if the verse runs equally well, and Mr. Gifford thinks the expression improved. Pray, have the bounty to attend to this. You are grown quite a Minister of State; mind if you are not some of these days thrown out. You have learned one secret from Mr. Galignani's (somewhat tardily acknowledged,) correspondence-this is, that an English author may dispose of his exclusive copyright in France; a fact of some consequence (in time of peace,) in the case of a popular writer. Now, I will tell you what you shall do, and take no advantage of you, though you were scurvy enough never to acknowledge my letter for three months. Offer Galignani the refusal of the copyright in France; if he refuses, appoint any bookseller in France you please, and I will sign any assignment you please, and it shall never cost you a sou on my account.

Recollect, that I will have nothing to do with it; except as far as it may secure the copyright to yourself. I will have no bargain but with the English booksellers, and I desire no interest out of that country. Now, that's fair, and open, and a little handsomer than your dodging silence, to see what would come of it. You are an excellent fellow, mio caro Moray, but there is still a little leaven of Fleet street about you now and then; a crum of the old loaf. You have no right to act suspiciously with me, for I have given you no reason. I shall always be frank with you, as for instance, whenever you talk with the votaries of Apollo arithmetically, it should be in guineas,

not pounds, to poets as well as physicians, and bidders of auctions. I shall say no more at this present, save that I am yours, etc. BYRON.

P. S.-If you venture, as you say, to Ravenna this year, I will exercise the rites of hospitality while you live, and bury you handsomely (though not in holy ground,) if you get shot, or slashed in a creagh, or splore,' which are rather frequent here of late among the native parties. But, perhaps, your visit may be anticipated; I may probably come to your country, in which case write to her ladyship the duplicate of the epistle the King of France wrote to Prince John."

16. The following letter is a beautiful model of a letter of advice:

Mr. Webster to his Grandson, Master

66

Webster.

"WASHINGTON, February 10th, 1845.

'MY DEAR GRANDSON:-This is your birthday. You are now five years old. You were born in *Peru, in the State of Illinois, on the tenth day of February, 1840. Your father and mother left Illinois, and came to Washington, in February, 1841. You were then one year old. You were christened in Washington. You had a dear little sister, Grace. She was born at Detroit, on the 29th day of August, 1837, and she died in Boston, on the seventh day of February, 1844. She was a beautiful and amiable child, greatly beloved by us all. Your father and

mother are now here. They are anxious about your health, but more anxious that you should grow up to be a good man. You bear my name. My friends will all be kind to you, if you behave well. You must love and obey your parents; strive to learn; be kind and gentle to all; do nothing which you think to be wrong; always speak the truth; and remember your Creator in the days of your youth, You have a dear little sister, whom you must love, and take care of, as she is younger than you are. Cotter met with great hurt, in taking care of you. You must remember to be good to him: and always treat all members of the family kindly.

Your father and mother will leave Washington to-morrow, and will be in Boston in a few days. I hope they will find you all well.

This letter is from your affectionate grandfather, DANIEL WEBSTER."

T VII.

OF COMMERCIAL OR BUSINESS LETTERS.
THEIR DEFINITION AND QUALITIES.

1. These are letters that regard trade, and all kinds of dealing among men. Hence, all statements relating to contracts, bargains, purchases, sales, finances, and anything in the commercial line, including mechanical labor, form the subject of this class of letters.

(1.) What are commercial, or business letters?

2. These letters, therefore, appertain chiefly to commercial and professional men.

3. Their style is invariably the simple.

4. Their principal requisites, are brevity, clearness, and order; to-wit: first, the different subjects of the letter must be laid down in a certain order, beginning from the most important, and gradually descending to the less important, or inversely; second, all superfluous words, and allusions are to be omitted; third, plain and simple language is to be used; fourth, if the letter should be very lengthy, a short recapitulation of the subjects, or items, at the end, is very proper.

5.

The following letter illustrates the qualities which business letters must have:

Cicero to Tiro.

(A. U., 709.)

"Notwithstanding I wrote this morning by Harpatus, and nothing new has since occurred; yet, I cannot forbear making use of this opportunity of conveying a second letter to you upon the same subject; not, however, as entertaining the least distrust of your

(2.) To whom do these letters chiefly appertain?

(3.) What is their style?

(4.) What must be their qualities?

(5.) Ġive an example of a business letter.

case, but, because the business, in which I have employed you, is of the last importance to me. My whole design, indeed, in parting with you, was, that you might thoroughly settle my affairs. I desire, therefore, in the first place, that the demands of Octillius and Aurelius may be satisfied. Your next endeavor must be to obtain part, at least, if you cannot procure the whole, of what is due to me from Flamına; and particularly insist on his making this payment by the first of January. With regard to that debt, which was assigned over to me, I beg you would exert your utmost diligence to recover it; but as to the advance payment of the other, not yet due, I leave you to act as you shall judge proper; and this much for my private concerns. As to those of the public, I desire that you would send me all the certain intelligence you can collect. Let me know what Octavius and Antony are doing; what is the general opinion of Rome; and what turn, you imagine, affairs are likely to take. I can scarcely forbear running into the midst of the scene; but I restrain myself in the expectation. of your letter.

Your news concerning Balbus proves true; he was at Aquinum at the time you were told, and Hirtius followed him thither the next day. I imagine they are both going to the waters of Baiæ; but let me know what you can discover of their motions.

Do not forget to remind the agents of Dolabella not to insist upon the payment of what is due from Papia. Farewell."