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Viscounts, Barons, and Privy Councillors are addressed as Right Honourable.

The Lord Mayors of London, York, and Dublin, and The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, while they are in office take the title of Right Honourable, as do also the Speaker of the House of Commons, and the Lords of the Treasury and Admiralty.

All other Mayors are addressed as Right Worshipful. All persons in positions of honour or trust, holding the Queen's Commission, as The Commissioners of Excise, High Sheriffs of Counties, etc., are addressed as Honourable.

The House of Lords is addressed :

To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled. My Lords,

May it please your Lordships.

The House of Commons is addressed :

To the Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.

Gentlemen,

May it please your Honours.

Archbishops.

To His Grace The Lord Archbishop of C-.
My Lord Archbishop.

And in the body of the letter, Your Grace.

Bishops.

To the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of D.
My Lord Bishop.

And in the body of the letter, Your Lordship.

Archdeacons.

To the Venerable the Archdeacon of

Reverend Sir.

Deans.

To the Very Rev. the Dean of

Rev. Sir.

Canons.

The Rev. Canon A

Rev. Sir.

In cases where there is a title of nobility as well as the title Reverend, both are used. Thus:

The Hon. and Rev. J. F. London.

Rev. Sir.

Or, The Rev. Lord A. Carlyle.
Rev. Sir.

Baronets are addressed:

Sir John Trelawney, Bart.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

To His Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

May it please Your Excellency.

The initials K.B., K.C.B., and K.G., stand respectively for Knight of the Bath, Knight Commander of the Bath, and Knight of the Garter. They must always be used in addressing (in writing) those to whom they belong.

Writing letters in the third person is frequently a difficulty, the writer being apt to drop into the first person, thus:

'Mr. John Fairfield presents his compliments to Mr. Arkwright, and would be glad to see him when he can make it convenient to call. I am anxious for a personal interview, in order that we may settle the matter upon which we have lately been engaged.'

Here the third person is departed from, and the first erroneously used. Writing at any length in the third person requires considerable care and practice. We subjoin a specimen :

Mr. John Fairfield presents his compliments to Mr. Arkwright, and regrets that he has been unable, through press of business, to attend to the matter brought before him by Mr. Arkwright's note of the 30th ult. He begs to assure Mr. Arkwright, however, of his keen interest in the subject, and would be glad of a personal interview at any time and place that Mr. Arkwright may suggest.

105 Guildhall Chambers,

March 20th, 1880.

The following are appended as Specimens of Business and Complimentary Notes:

Messrs. H. Wood & Co. present their compliments to Mr. Thompson, and beg to suggest that he should call upon them at

his earliest convenience, as they have matters of importance, upon which they would be glad to consult him.

Town Hall Chambers,

Oct. 3rd, 1881.

Mr. and Mrs. Frankland present their kind regards to Mr. Woodward, and request the pleasure of his company to dinner on Friday next at seven o'clock.

15 Chandos Square,

Nov. 7th, 1881.

Mr. Woodward, with best compliments to Mr. and Mrs. Frankland, will be happy to avail himself of their kind invitation for Friday next.

27 Queen's Square,

Nov. 8th, 1881.

Mr. Woodward presents his compliments to Mr. and Mrs. Frankland, and regrets that, owing to a sudden call to the North, he is unable to accept their kind invitation to dinner on Friday

next.

27 Queen's Square,
Nov. 8th, 1881.

Forms of Receipt.

London, Oct. 3rd, 1880.

Received of Mr. W. Jones the sum of ten pounds twelve shillings and sevenpence, amount of goods, as per bill delivered. £10, 12s. 7d.

H. E. PRICE.

Randall Street, April 4th, 1880.
& Co. the sum of twenty
one quarter's rent due on

Received of Messrs. W. Giles pounds fifteen shillings, being Christmas Day 1880, for premises situated No. 76 High Street, Shadwell.

£20, 15s. od.

H. A. CUMMING.

The following are a few methods of terminating letters :-
In the hope that I have not too far trespassed on your

time,

I remain,

Dear Sir,

Faithfully yours,

J. F. CLARKE.

Trusting you will pardon the liberty I take in thus addressing you,

I am,

Dear Sir,

Yours most sincerely,

F. JAMES.

Hoping that the engagement now entered on may prove in every sense satisfactory,

I beg to remain,

Sir,

Yours faithfully.

Trusting the goods supplied will meet your approbation, and awaiting your further orders,

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Hoping you are well, and with kind regards,

Believe me,

Dear Madam,

Yours respectfully,

G. OWEN.

Leaving the matter to your careful consideration,
I beg to remain,

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In writing to corporate bodies, public companies, or societies, the chairman or secretary must be addressed, thus:

To the Secretary,

National Health Society.
Dear Sir.

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The object of punctuation is to divide a written composition, for the purpose of marking the pauses which the sense requires, and which would be shown if the composition were spoken. Punctuation should not be habitually left till the composition is finished; it should follow the ideas and thoughts as they pass from the mind to the paper.

The Period (.) is used to mark the end of a sentence; unless the sentence is interrogative, when the note of interrogation (?) is used; or exclamatory, when the note of exclamation (!) takes its place. The period is also used to mark abbreviations; as, Bart. for Baronet, M.P. for Member of Parliament. Also when Roman numerals are used instead of words; as, William IV.

The Colon (:) is used to separate the clauses of a compound sentence, when a longer pause is needed than is denoted by a semicolon; as when the first clause is quite complete, and the second is attached to it in sense, but without a conjunction. 'Be wise to-day: 'tis madness to defer.'

Ex.

The Semicolon (;) is used to mark off those parts of a sentence which require a longer pause than that indicated by a comma. The subordinate clauses of complex sentences are marked off by semicolons. Ex. 'When we have done all that is commanded of us; when we have tried to fulfil every duty; we still fall far short of perfection.' The semicolon is also used when a series of proper names, each having a rank or title attached, occurs in the same clause. Ex. There were present at the banquet, Holman

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