LETTERS FAMOUS FOR BREVITY.

A Few Pointed Lines Written by Sharp-Witted People Have Been Effective in Taking the Conceit Out of Their Correspondents.

Almost telegraphic brevity distinguishes some of the most famous letters that have ever been written. A writer in Notes and Queries gives a sheaf of these laconic messages, with such editorial illumination as is necessary to make their meaning clear.

According to Campbell's "Lives of the Admirals," Sir George Walton was sent in pursuit of a Spanish squadron, and reported what took place in the following dispatch to the admiral in command:

Sir—I have taken or destroyed all the Spanish ships as per margin. Yours, etc., G. Walton.

Horace Walpole, in one of his papers in "The World," praises the following letter, written by Lady Pembroke in the reign of Charles II. I quote from memory, but think that Lady Pembroke wrote to Lord Arlington, who had insisted on her allowing Sir Joseph Williamson to be returned member for her borough of Appleby:

Sir—I have been bullied by a usurper, I have been neglected by a court, but I will not be dictated to by a subject. Your man sha'n't stand. Anne Pembroke.

I have some memory of a story that some person wrote to the first Duke of Wellington, threatening to publish certain letters of his, and that he replied:

Dear Julia—Publish and be damned. Yours, Wellington.

When Lord John Russell announced the breaking up of Earl Grey's cabinet on May 27, 1834, Mr. Stanley, colonial secretary, wrote the following to Sir James Graham, first lord of the Admiralty:

My dear G.—Johnny has upset the coach. Yours, etc.

Sir Walter Scott said that the most pointed letter he knew was the answer of Lord Macdonald to the head of the Glengarry family:

My dear Glengarry—As soon as you can prove yourself to be my chief, I shall be ready to acknowledge you; in the meantime, I am yours, Macdonald.

The following is quoted as Francis Jeffrey's wicked reply to a begging letter:

Sir—I have received your letter of 6th inst., soliciting a contribution in behalf of the funds of ——. I have very great pleasure in subscribing [with this word the writer contrived to end the first page, and then continued overleaf] myself, Yours faithfully, Francis Jeffrey.

A certain lady having written to Talleyrand informing him of the death of her husband, he replied:

Dear Marquise—Alas! Your devoted Talleyrand.

At a later date the same lady wrote telling him of her approaching marriage. To this he replied:

Dear Marquise—Ho, ho! Your devoted Talleyrand.