The following is a letter written by an old cottager to the Squire of his Parish. Condense it to half the length, correcting the spelling and grammar. It is very simple, as there is only one ‘subject’, and therefore only one paragraph. But it will serve to introduce this most important rule of PrÉcis writing:

Rule III.—All points essential to the subject MUST be put in; while all unessential points, repetitions, &c., should be left out.

(We may modify the second half of this rule later on.)

Remember that it must be written as ‘reported speech’.