. Practical English grammar, and business correspondence; for use in business colleges, normal and high schools, and advanced classes in the public schools . Messrs. is sometimes prefixed to the firm name, but as the complimentary address,Gentlemen, is but a repetition of Messrs., it seems not only useless, but absurd, touse it. Dear Sirs, instead of Gentlemen, while not improper, is not in use by thebest correspondents, and Gents, should never be used. The complimentary closingof such a letter would be governed somewhat by the cordiality of the relationsexisting between the parties. Respectfu
. Practical English grammar, and business correspondence; for use in business colleges, normal and high schools, and advanced classes in the public schools . Messrs. is sometimes prefixed to the firm name, but as the complimentary address,Gentlemen, is but a repetition of Messrs., it seems not only useless, but absurd, touse it. Dear Sirs, instead of Gentlemen, while not improper, is not in use by thebest correspondents, and Gents, should never be used. The complimentary closingof such a letter would be governed somewhat by the cordiality of the relationsexisting between the parties. Respectfully yours, or, Yours truly, is always appro-priate; Gratefully yours, is proper if the writer feels under special obligations tothe party addressed; and Your obedient servant, or Faithfully yours, is used whenthe writer is serving in any way the party addressed. If the letter be designed for an individual whose age, standing, position, &c, arenot understood, a proper address would be:. If Mr. Winslow be a man of prominence, Esq. would not be an inappropriate BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE. 73 suffix, when the prefix would of course be omitted; and if he be a public official ofhigh rank, usage would justify Hon. Esq., as an honorary title, however, is goinginto disuse. The prefix Mrs. should be used in a business letter to a married lady, and Madamor Dear Madam, used as a complimentary address; the latter is justified, also, in thecase of elderly unmarried ladies. Probably more uncertainty has been felt regarding the proper complimentaryaddress to be used in a letter to a single lady who is a stranger, than upon any otherpoint in the arrangement of a business letter. If she be a young lady, Madamwould manifestly be improper, and since there is no other word in the language justsuited as a substitute, it is suggested that no complimentary address be the name and P. 0. address, and proceed with the letter, as:
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