THE MOST TROUBLESOME detail in letter-writing is the matter of address. It should be noted that there is a distinction between Dear and My dear. In our country, the more formal style is with the pronoun, while the pronoun is omitted in writing to friends. A letter to a mere acquaintance begins with the words, My dear ............................. But the form for an intimate is simply Dear .............................

The usual address for business purposes and to those with whom no social relations are established is Dear Sir. The plural is used in addressing firms, Dear Sirs, or the one word Gentlemen, may be employed.

In addressing a man with whom social relations are established, the surname is used, preceded by Dear or My dear, according to the degree of intimacy. My dear Mr. Hudson; Dear Mr. Grant.

A woman who is a stranger may be addressed either as Madam or Dear Madam, whether she be married or unmarried. The form “Dear Miss” is to be avoided under all circumstances.

For the woman with whom the writer is formally acquainted, the address is: My dear Mrs. .............................., if she is married, and My dear Miss ............................, if she is unmarried. When the person is a friend, she should be addressed: Dear Mrs. ................, if she is a married woman, and Dear Miss ............................, if she is unmarried.

The full name should be signed to formal letters. The married woman should use her own Christian name, not her husband’s with the Mrs. prefixed. But, in business communications to strangers, she may very properly give her husband’s name with the prefix Mrs., below her usual signature, and inclosed in parenthesis.

Similarly, for the sake of clearness, a business letter by an unmarried woman may have Miss in parenthesis before the name.

Envelopes should be addressed to the recipient with the full name and necessary prefix—-Mr., Mrs., or Miss.

The Mr., however, must be omitted if Esq. is written after the name. The English custom limits the use of Esquire to those who are technically gentlemen. For example, Esq. is placed after the name in addressing a barrister, but it must not be used in writing to a tradesman, who is given only the prefix Mr.

The prefix Mr. is used when Junior or Senior is indicated after the name by an abbreviation. In such case, Esq. must never be written.

It must be noted also that in the case of addresses, as with cards, to which attention has already been given, the husband’s title must not be given to the wife. Mrs. Colonel, Mrs. Doctor, Mrs. Professor, and the like, are barbarisms, which are not tolerated in America or England. The Germans, however, use them.

The phrase before the signature to a letter varies according to the circumstances, and especially according to the individual taste. Thus, in concluding a very formal communication, it is quite proper to use the old-fashioned wording, I am, my dear Madam, your obedient servant. An ordinary convenient form that covers a wide field is, I remain, Yours sincerely, or Yours faithfully, or Yours cordially, writing I remain on one line, and the Yours, etc., on the line below. Thus:

I remain,
Yours sincerely,

Yours truly, or Very truly yours, is best reserved for business communications. Yours respectfully is applicable for business communications, and also for letters addressed to superiors, and for use generally as a rather meaningless style.

Men of exalted position are commonly addressed as Sir without any qualifying word. And the form in ending is, I have, Sir, the honor to remain Your most obedient servant—Your, etc., forming a separate line.

A letter of a social sort would begin, My dear Mr. President.

The like form would suffice for the vice-president, except for a letter of social character, when he should be addressed by name, My dear Mr. .........................

A justice of the supreme court, a senator, a member of the house of representatives, a cabinet officer, the governor of a state, etc., all have the same formal Sir as the address and the corresponding phrase in conclusion. But there is variation in the address when the letter is of social import. The justice may be addressed My dear Justice ................., or Dear Mr. Justice ..................

The senator is addressed My dear Senator ........................ The representative in congress is addressed My dear Mr. .................

On the envelope, the forms are respectively Mr. Justice ..................., Senator ......................., Hon. .............. (for the congressman).

The social letter to a cabinet officer addresses him by name, My dear ................., and has on the envelope Hon. preceding the name and his official designation following it.

A governor is usually addressed My dear Governor ........................ And the envelope should have the title preceding the name.

In all cases except that of the President, the conclusion of a social letter is a simple form such as, I remain, Yours very sincerely.

A mayor is addressed either as Sir, or Your Honor, in formal communications, and as My dear Mayor ................. in social correspondence. The envelope properly gives him a full designation, His Honor the Mayor of ..................... The name follows, written on a lower line.

The form of address is the same for both official and social letters in the case of a Roman Catholic archbishop: Most Reverend and Dear Sir. The conclusion should run: I have the honor to remain Your obedient servant—Your, etc., being written on a lower line. The envelope carries The Most Reverend ......................., Archbishop of ...................

All letters to a cardinal begin Your Eminence. The conclusion is the same as to an archbishop. The envelope reads His Eminence Cardinal .........................

For a Roman Catholic bishop all letters begin Right Reverend and Dear Sir. The conclusion is that used for the preceding prelates. On the envelope: The Right Reverend .................., Bishop of ............

A Protestant bishop, also, is addressed Right Reverend and Dear Sir officially, but a social letter begins My dear Bishop ..................... The conclusion may take the form given for Roman Catholic dignitaries, but for social letters it is sufficient to write, I remain Yours sincerely. The envelope reads: The Right Reverend ................, Bishop of .............................

Both priests and Protestant clergymen are officially addressed: Reverend and Dear Sir. But, in a social letter, the beginning is Dear Father .................., in the case of a priest; while the Protestant minister is addressed as Dear Mr. ........................, or Dear Doctor ...................., if he has such a title. The conclusion for either need be no more than: I remain, Yours very sincerely. The envelope bears, The Reverend .......................

The possession of degrees may be indicated by writing the proper initials after the name. Where the clergyman has the degree of Doctor, this is sometimes used as an abbreviation preceding the name—The Reverend Dr. ..........................