THE ART OF LETTER WRITING.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 14 February 1912, Page 3

THE ART OF LETTER WRITING.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Is the art of letter writing deteriorating, or is it a gift few - possess ? Take for instance, the recent "letters" in your columns. Each writer airs his or her own ideas regardless of other people's feelings, and the impression gained by the readers is each is more little-minded than the other, whereas the writers may he just , the reverse but they have not the gift of expressing it in a letter; Of -course some think they haye scored when they have saidsome- ' thing thatjhas made another per>son unhappybut they forget it is TIME who scores, for the day may come when they would give anything to recall the unkind words. r One of the great duties of this |Mife is not .to give- pain,' and the *!• most- acute reasoner- car^not. find • an excuse for one who voluntarily ' wounds the heart of a fellow creature. A person will often say in a casual conversation to a friend what is never meant to be shouted from the housetops, but when one writes a letter for publication, one should pause and think "Is it needful, or helpful, or kind ? Who is it first wrote: There is so much bad in the best of us And so much good in the worst of us That it ill becomes any of us To talk against the Test of us. , I have no doubt every writer feels satisfied with their letter, the longer the more satisfied, but is it worth it? Friendship of many years has been undermined, and for what? . Very few, if any, can give a reason. , I hope my letter (not gifted, I admit) will help to lesson this bit- ' ter, feeling. There are just as many kind-headed people in this district as anywhere else, and I believe had. " Public," " Friend," " Musical," and " Donator " proved their well meaning by signing their own names, innocent people Avoiild not have been blamed so much; but as one in the district proved it does not do to go against the majority, I will sign myself with them.

(If any of the above writers will submit theu* names to me through you either privately or publicly, you may reveal mine, not otherwise.) I am, etc.

Resident,