your posture by rising up or sitting down, or walking about, while another is speaking to you. It will be construed into a neglect of their worth, or a desire to avoid their conversation. Whis pering and holding private discourse in company, is very improper and impolite.

Respect to the aged, is another trait of politeness. It is extremely indecorous to make those advanced in years, the subject of ridicule, derision or laughter. Gray hairs should ever be treated with deference and respect. The aged have long borne the burdens of life--they have administered to the welfare of society, and to the prosperity and enjoyment of those who are now young. It becomes your duty, as the palsy of age creeps upon them, incapacitating them for active duties and for labors, to honor and reverence them to cherish and support them, and render "the downhill of life," as agreeable and pleasant as possible. No sight is more delightful, than to behold the young assiduously engaged in respectful attentions to the aged--while there is no greater lack of politeness, no plainer indication of an unfeeling heart, than to treat the aged with neglect, disrespect or harshness.

Before closing this subject, I cannot refrain from again directing your attention to the real nature of politeness. People, generally, are too ready to judge of its existence by exterior appearance and manners. When persons enter a room with ease, make a graceful bow, and are very for

mal and ceremonious, they are called polite. But although a due attention to formalities is proper, yet they do not constitute all of politeness--they are, indeed, as has once been said, but its shadow, and may be, and often are, assumed where no genuine politeness exists. True politeness, I repeat, consists in entertaining kind and friendly feelings towards others, and in exhibiting those emotions in your manners. Therefore, to be polite, in the just acceptation of that word, you must cultivate the generous feelings of the heart--you must see that this fountain of human emotions is purified, and that nothing there exists but good will towards all your fellow-beings. With the affections in this state, politeness, almost without effort, will shine in your intercourse with the world. There will be no cold affectation, no heartless hypocrisy; but with a moderate degree of outward cultivation, the manners will be graceful and polite.

CHAPTER IX.

LETTER-WRITING.

Although this subject may be viewed by some, as of little importance, yet it should by no means be overlooked by the young. There are few youth of either sex, who will not find it necessary to correspond with relatives and friends, and often with strangers. And few there are, who do not desire to have their letters appear well in the sight of those to whom they are addressed.

The first requisite in letter-writing is care in the penmanship. It should be your effort to have your writing plain and distinct. It is true, the penmanship of all can not possess the same elegance and finish; but all can and should exert themselves to have their letters as legible and neat as possible—free from blots, and with as little interlining as may be. You should also endeavor to punctuate your composition properly and distinctly. It is no small labor to peruse a letter without stop or point of any kind. In such cases, it is difficult to obtain the meaning of the writer,

and ludicrous, and sometimes fatal mistakes, are in this manner occasioned. The necessity of both spelling and punctuating correctly, is exemplified in the old and familiar anecdote, of the note handed to the minister, in some town on the sea-board. It read as follows: "A man going to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation." When read as thus written, it was perfectly ridiculous. But by changing the word see to sea, and removing the comma from after the word wife to the word sea, the meaning of the writer is expressed as follows: "A man going to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation."

Great caution should be exercised in regard to the contents of letters. Let it be remembered that letters are often preserved a great length of time, and frequently come into hands of whom the writers little thought, while penning them. Injudicious letters are liable, through accident or other causes, to stray into the possession of those who will wield them greatly to your disadvantage. Many individuals would give half their wealth, to recall letters hastily written, or to blot out sentences incautiously inserted. "We ought not to write any thing of which we may hereafter feel ashamed. Well written letters are as often burnt or destroyed, as slovenly or indiscreet epistles are, by accident or design, preserved, to rise up in judgment against us hereafter."* An instance

* Young Ladies' Own Book.

in point lately occurred. At the decease of the celebrated Aaron Burr, among his papers were found letters received in former years, which, had they been made public, would have ruined the characters of many individuals moving in the highest circles. Exercise your judgment upon this subject. Write nothing to the most intimate friend that would cause you to blush or feel degraded, were it read by strangers. I desire not that you should circumscribe the free and frank expression of thought, but would rather commend it. Write to your correspondents as you would converse with them, had you the opportunity—but as you would converse with them in the presence of others.

If possible, avoid writing disparagingly of the character of any. Inadvertencies in this respect, are the frequent causes of difficulty and contention. Sentences of this nature often find their way to ears for which they were least designed. If it becomes necessary to state your opinion of the character of any individual, communicate your sentiments in a frank, yet kind manner— write nothing as truth, that you do not know to be true—avoid deleterious insinuations—in fine, write as you would, were you addressing the person in reference to whose character you are making your statements.

Avoid in your letters, all expressions of anger —all profane or vulgar language—all indelicate words and allusions. Write with the same re