tdb (frops. 
HELD NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Tlie Enrlv Hose 1'otnto In Enalnud. Late 
Hone. 
A con rrsfondbnt of the London Field 
sa}^, iu that paper of tlie date of Dee. 2, 
“ A correspondent asks for the experience of 
your readers .as to the American Early Rose 
potato. I bought twenty pounds from 
Messrs. Carter, and they have produced 
about three hundred weight, which Is an 
excellent result as far as quantity, but for 
quality let me advise all would-be purchasers 
to abstain. Mine are very watery, and I can 
only compare them in color and flavor to had 
turnips. 1 tasted them when just ripened, 
and, in order to answer your correspondent, 
again yesterday, and the result iu both trials 
is the same. 1 have heard there are two 
kinds of this potato; mine is long, and very 
smooth skin.” 
There is an Early Rose potato and now 
WO have a Late Rose —a sport of the former, 
not a seedling. A farmer in this State found 
when he was digging ids Early Rose crop 
that a portion of the vines were growing 
vigorously. lie allowed them to grow, saved 
the product, planted it separately and has 
continued to do so for several years. This 
potato resembles the Early Rose externally, 
ami it is said can only be distinguished from 
it by a- brighter red seed end. Bui it is three 
to four weeks later. During the years it 
has been cultivated it has preserved its 
distinctive characteristic as a late potato 
and as a better winter keeper than the 
Early Rose. Dr. Uexamer says it is more 
productive tban the Early Rose and of 
much the same quality ; while Mr. Quinn 
says it does not cook ns well; for while the 
Early Rose cooks through evenly, the Late 
Rose cooks more like the pencil blow—be¬ 
coming while and floury externally while 
the center is not cooked through. It is re¬ 
garded as a very promising variety. It lias 
not, however, been tested in other localities 
than that in which it originated, and its 
adaptation for general cultivation is not yet 
known. There are about 1,000 bushels on 
the market for next year’s seeding, and they 
will probably be held for a higher price. 
An Old Hettler on TliUtleM. 
No good fanner need be afraid of thistles. 
We know this by trial. Fifty years ago we 
bought most of this farm—all woods then, 
nearly. Wood was nearly all cut to boil 
salt, and hauled twelve miles. Of course, 
the land was cleared slowly, and Canada aud 
Bull Thistles over ran the farm. Yet no 
man in the county beat us raising grain of 
all kinds when we got at it. There were 
then no mowers, no reapers, no threshing 
machines. 1 have threshed 8,000 bushels of 
grain in one year with two horses; hauled 
wheat to Albany on a wagon fifty years ago 
this winter. I can show'titles of land with 
A saver O. Fag's name to them ; Benjamin 
Knowek, Stale Treasurer; Simeon Dewitt, 
Surveyor-General. I worked laud here be¬ 
fore one shovelful of dirt was thrown out of 
the Erie Canal. 1 saw Scott’s army go by 
and shiy in this town over night. He was 
then only twenty-six years old. What 
would hoys say now to our old wooden 
mold-board plows and old time tools ? On 
the Bill day of March, 1817, we saw in 
Albany two pairs of good horses loaded with 
one rope, bound for Buffalo; the teamster 
got $300 to lake it there. What changes 
since !—O. Smith, Manlius Center , Dec. , 1871. 
-Barb. 
POULTRY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Early Laying Fulloia A an In. 
A. F. Grant of Connecticut desires us to 
say that ho has pullets hatched the middle 
of April, 1871, Which commenced layingthe 
middle of August. The breed is a cross be¬ 
tween Leghorn and Brahma.—C. W. J., St. 
Charles, Mich., Inis two pullets hatched 
April 20, 1871, which commenced laying 
Sept. TO, 1871. Thu fowls are of the Native 
breed.—W. II. Thomas, Goshen, Ind., has 
a White Leghorn pullet which was hatched 
April 17, and commenced laying Oct. 3, 
1871.—C. T. Adams Philadelphia, Pu., has 
a Light Braldna pullet which wa 9 hatched 
April 28, and commenced laying Sept. 29. 
Must Valuable Breeds ol l'oaliry. 
In your issue of Dec. 9, is an article head¬ 
ed, " The most valuable breeds of Poultry,” 
taken from the Practical Farmer, recom¬ 
mending among others, the Houdan as one 
of the best layers. I beg leave to differ with 
the writer. The Houdans, ns table fowls, 
have some merit, but as layers they are great 
failures in this section of country. They are 
no winter layers, niul very much subject to 
disease. I paid per dozen for their eggs, 
and got humbugged for my pains. I have 
found Brahmas the best of all that I have 
tried. I am giving White Leghorns a trial 
this winter. I wish some of your readers 
would give the comparative merits of the 
Leghorn and Hamburg fowls. I wish to 
know if the Hamburg matures as early as 
the Leghorn.—P. II., Lynn , 3/lm 
Reciting Eggs for Winter. 
A lady reader of the Rural New- 
Yohkek sends us the following recipe for 
preserving eggs for winter use, which she 
says she clipped from the Country Gentle¬ 
man. She .has used the recipe for several 
years with success, and desires that the 
readers of the Rural may also have the 
benefit of it. Though rather lute in the sea¬ 
son, we give it more particularly for those 
who save and file the Rural for future ref¬ 
erence. The writer says: — “ Iu August 
l generally commence saving eggs, and am 
very careful to save only good and fresh 
ones. I take boxes w hich hold about 1 , 200 , 
put on the bottom a layer of oats, and set 
my eggs all point downwards, so that not 
one touches the other, until the layer is full, 
then cover with oats ami make, another lay¬ 
er, and so on until the box is full, and then 
cover and set in a cool, dry place, where it 
does not freeze, until used. 1 have followed 
this way for 1 lie last twenty years, and can¬ 
not sn}' that I ever lost more than one or 
two out of lift 3 ', and then generally found 
that it was knocked or put down tinsmuid. 
1 use small boxes, so that 1 can use first the 
eggs which I put clown first. I have never 
thought of changing my way, although I 
have read so many ways to do it, for in- 
stance, in ashes, in fat, in lime, in lime water 
and even varnishing them, because inv way 
seemed to me the simplest and cleanest, and 
1 am just as sure to have good eggs next 
February and March, which 1 lay in now, as 
l can have good eggs now. There is no 
danger of having any musty taste to the 
eggs if you keep them in a dry place and 
are careful to use dry oats.” 
tinpw in Cliickon* niul 1‘licasnnts. 
In speaking of the above disease among 
fowls, W. B. TicatmticiER, the celebrated 
English breeder and author sn 3 's, in a late 
number of the London Field, that the “ fatal 
disease, caused by the presence of thegape- 
worm, appears unusually prevalent this .sea¬ 
son. I have had it in my own runs, where 
it ha 9 attacked some Sebright Imuliims; Imt 
I have found no diffieully iu curing it by the 
means of carbolic acid, which l first recom¬ 
mended for tiiia purpose last year, Wo pot¬ 
ent. are the fumes of this powerful remedy, 
and so destructive are they to parasitic life, 
that their inhalation for oven a few moments 
seems perfectly effectual in destroying the 
life of the worm. It is not even necessary 
to employ any special apparatus; a few 
drops of carbolic acid may be placed in a 
spoon ami held over Hie flame of a caudle 
until the vapor is seen to rise, when the 
head of the youngchicken or pheasant (held 
in the other hand) may bo placed in the 
vapor, which the animal is forced to inhale. 
Care must he taken not to carry on the pro¬ 
cess until the fowl as well as the worms arc 
killed. I find after exposure to the fumes 
for a few seconds the bird may be regarded 
as cured, and may he seen mailing about 
quite well on the following day; if not, the 
treatment should lie repeated. ’ The medici¬ 
nal carbolic acicl is preferable to the tarry 
liquid used for disinfecting sewers and 
drains.” 
lantr 
epurtwrnf. 
SUNDRY LETTERS, 
From Loiiuiiiirc, Wnalilugion Co., Teuii. 
Could my friends iu Northern New 
York look down upon us from their snow- 
clad bills, the 3 ' might see some of our farm¬ 
ers still sowing wheat, and rye, our cattle 
grazing in green fields, and our wives and 
daughters engaged at their needle work in 
open porches. Still they need not envy us, 
for they have often been invited to come and 
enjoy with us our beautiful climate. VYi: 
not only have a health-giving climate, short, 
winters and longsummers, but as good a soil 
as I have ever seen from one end of the Stale 
of New York to the oilier. For grasses it is 
equal to any from the Atlantic to beyond the 
Missouri, except it should be among the 
Green Mountains in Vermont. 1 have seen 
belter clover here limn I have ever seen else 
where. Wheat seldom fails; have seen 
good wheat raised that was sown as late as 
the 20ili of Dec. I have a corn stalk that 
grew in my field last summer that measures 
twelve feet ten inches in length and two and 
one-quarter inches in circumference between 
the joints and three inches at the joint. That 
is enough for corn. Fruit we have even 
unto satiety, and a better watered country I 
have never seen. With the above allure¬ 
ments, and farms at from $5 to an acre, 
the odds between Eastern Tennessee and the 
bleak plains of the West arc wholly in our 
fayor.—E. S. Hulin, Zteft, 1871. 
Inquiry about Oregon. 
I wisn to make inquiry through your 
paper about Oregon. Is there a good 
chance for Homesteads, not too far front a 
market or where the country will be soon 
settled up ? Will some one please tell us 
about that State, price of stock, farming, 
&c. ?--A Soldier. 
octal (fopics. 
AROUND THE DINNER TABLE. 
The number of New Yorkers who keep 
up the old-fashioned habit and still present 
fashion among country people, of dining in 
the middle of the day, is few. From five 
until seven o’clock, the “ city is at dinner.” 
As the wisest ot people disagree in regard 
to the wholesomeness of dining so late iu 
the day, we will not discuss it. Due thing 
about it, however, no one can dispute. It 
is the most social, enjoyable hour of the 
twenty-four. All business is over fur the 
day, and the meal is enjoyed leisurely. The 
news i 3 retailed, gossiped over, and wit, 
humor and lively exchange of repartee, put 
everybody in the best possible mood. Some¬ 
times, however, a remark from one will lead 
the conversation into an odd channel, and 
thoughts into the days Of the past. Such 
out-of-the-way talks are not uncommon 
around a dinner table we 44 wot” of, and 
following the example of some illustrious 
contemporaries, we may now and then be 
vain enough to suppose a transfer of such 
talk may be profitable for amusement, or in¬ 
struction, Here is a specimen : 
"Know how to scold t” said Tom. “A 
questionable accomplishment, I affirm. 1 
was scolded so much when a child that I 
have never been good for anything since. 
I could bear being whipped, and come out 
of the ordeal improved in morals if not in 
feeling. But the everlasting scolding shriv¬ 
eled me, head, heart and soul. It was a 
plague there was no getting rid of. It. was 
on open-mouthed monster, ready to devour 
me every time I entered the house, and never 
quite making a finish of me. It made a liar 
of me, loo." ( Tom, by the way, lias con¬ 
quered the habit, and is devoutly truthful.) 
44 and 1 believe scolding children makes more 
liars than any other mal-discipline of the 
bringing-up process. 1 remember once of 
telling a lie to avoid a scolding, but it was 
so quickly found out that l was whipped, 
and before the day was over I had told five, 
and got live successive whippings all in one 
day, I look back upon that day as my high 
carnival of wickedness.” 
“ What used to he my great trial when a 
boy,” spoke AUTHOR (a good Matured mar¬ 
ried fellow of sot lied habits), " wits to get 
homo from a visit at u staled time. For 
instance, if we‘young ones’went out to 
spend the evening, or the afternoon, mother 
would always say, 4 Nowwtym must be at 
home ill precisely eight, o’clock,’ or what 
ever the hour might be. Of course, it olVen 
happened that we didn’t 4 come to time,’ and 
then we bud Lo catch it. Excuses never did 
us any good. Fathers and mother’s law 
was like that of the Modes and Persians. 
I don’t believe in any such management.” 
44 How would you manage, then?” asked 
the hostess; 44 have children a law unto 
themselves ?” 
44 Yes. When children are old enough to 
be trusted to make visits without their eld¬ 
ers, let them exercise some judgment for 
themselves. I have a friend who manages 
her children nicely. When one wishes to 
make a visit, she asks him at what hour 
‘Mother may expect him home?’ He is 
quite sure to fix upon an early one, in order 
to obtain her permission. Having given 
Ids word, lie i 3 anxious to keep it, both be¬ 
cause it is a voluntary promise and because 
lie known his mother will trust him only as 
he fulfills his promises to her, and keeps Ids 
own truth and honor Inviolate, It is quite 
a different thing all around, from the Mede 
and Persian status.” 
44 Well, my trouble,” Baid Olive, 44 was in 
tearing my clothes, and as 1 was a wild one, 
climbing fences and trees, and full of activi- 
13 ', you may know my dry goods suffered 
many a rent. I was whipped, had my ears 
boxed, was scolded, sent to bed supperless 
and very early, and rendered perfectly miser¬ 
able because I tore my gown or apron, or 
sun-bonnet. It makes my blood tingle to 
my very finger ends now, when 1 tldnkof it. 
If I bad broken my arm or torn the skin 
from my lace, ’twould not Have been a more 
serious matter with me. And I had to mend 
all the rents, too, which grown people sup¬ 
pose quite punishment enough. Oh, dear, 1 
don’t want, lo be a child again. You’ll ull 
laugh, I know, if 1 say that, to this day, I 
take positive comfort in tearing my clothes 
In pieces!” 
We all smiled at her Carnes I ness, and 
Solon gave his experience :— 44 As I look 
back upon my boyhood, I remember father's 
cows, and timt it was my lot to drive them 
to and front the pasture fields, and that 1 
loafed along as ali boys will, you know. I 
remember 011 c time, when I bad stuck my 
feet in the mud, and made heel holes in the 
sand, and dallied longer than usual, that 
when I got home father called me up and 
44 look me to do." Father wasn’t a man who 
ever scolded or said much, but on this occa¬ 
sion he took bold of my jacket collar with a 
grip that unsettled me, and said: 
44 Solon, I’ve made up my mind that you’ll 
come to the gallows. I find that talk has 
no efiect upon you. Ou Monday I shall 
punish you.” That was all, hut it was 
Saturday night, and 1 had all day Sunday 
to think it over. Iu all the events of my 
life since then, I never have so suffered. 1 
was over-sensitve, imaginative, and given 
to keeping my thoughts to myself. I could 
see no connection between being late with 
Hie cows and being hung, but father had 
said so, and of course it must be, and 1 was 
banged a hundred times that night in im¬ 
agination. Then over all loomed the hor¬ 
ror of Monday, a mysterious, horrible threat 
to be put into shape. A score of whippings 
at that moment, would have been a relief, if 
I could havo had that burden of Monday 
lifted from my heart. I could neither eat 
nor sleep. Bui Monday came, and whether 
father saw how terribly 1 had been punished 
or whether he forgot the whole matter 1 
never knew, but be neither punished me 
nor said anything whatever about it. But it 
impressed me with one resolve—never to 
punish a child of mine in that, way. 
‘‘One very common aud ridiculous thing 
is,” said ALICE, 44 the habit that, obtains 
among many parents of scolding and pun¬ 
ishing their children for tlic very thing they 
themselves do. For Instance, father used to 
simp my ears for m 3 ' putting my elbows on 
the table, when be did the same thing him¬ 
self; or for speaking snappishly to mother, 
which was a luxury he wished to entirely 
monopolize. But there was one thing that 
never succeeded with me. They could 
never frighten ino into repentance. I’d as 
soon be Shut up in a dark closet as not, and 
never was afraid of the dark, although 1 
think such methods, with most children, 
simply diabolical.” 
44 Did you ever hear the story of 4 Big 
Fraid and Little Fraid ?’exclaimed Olive. 
No? Then I’ll relate it. A man had a son, 
who, like Solon, drove up the cows from 
pasture and often did not. gel homo until 
after dark. One time Ids fat her said to him, 
4 Aren’t yon ’iraid ?’ 
44 4 Fraid I’ lie exclaimed, 4 who is lie ?’ ” 
44 Well, maybe you’ll see him some night,” 
said Ids father, seeing a chance for frighten¬ 
ing him, which the next night he resolved 
upon doing. 
To personate “ Fraid ” he wrapped him¬ 
self in a sheet, and stationed himself cm a 
foot log that laid a hand rail and spanned a 
stream. A pet monkey upon seeing his 
master march uif iu a sheet, caught up the 
table cloth and wrapping it around him fol¬ 
lowed in pursuit, jumping along on the 
fences, and when reaching the foot log, 
leaped upon the rail, and stationed himself 
near his master without the latter seeing 
him. As the lad approached he saw tlie 
figures and said, 44 Well, I declare that must 
he 4 Fraid ’ lather talked about. And there’s 
little 4 Fraid’ too.” At this the falher looked 
about and upon seeing little 44 Fraid” was 
himself frightened and look to his heels with 
the monkey after ldm. The hoy was de¬ 
light and shouted, 44 Run big Fraid, little 
Fraid is after you and will catch you.” And 
when lie reached home, of course lie had a 
wonderful story to tell of iUnv he had seen 
44 Fluid.” MtNTWOOD. 
-- 
LETTER WRITING 
Ami Letter Curvy inn in Olden Times. 
In these days of three cent lightning post¬ 
age, when for a trifle one cun unbosom him¬ 
self to a friend in a few hours’ time, thou¬ 
sands of miles away, we are not apt to think 
of the difficulties and vicissitudes attending 
epistolary postage only a lew years ago. 
Many of us can remember when it cost more 
to dispatcli a letter than it now does to send 
a telegram A writer in the British Quar¬ 
terly Review has collected a mass of enter¬ 
taining facts on the subjects, some of which 
we reproduce. 
The earliest tetter of which we have any 
record is that written by David to Joab, 
directing him to place Uriah in the front 
of the battle. There arc several classical 
stories that hear a likeness to this, of per¬ 
sons who carried letters, in which their own 
execution was desired ; thus IIo.mek tells 
the story of Bellekopiion, who himself 
boro the sealed tablets that demanded his 
death. In later Jewish History we learn 
from the Bible that Queen Jezebel wrote 
letters in Arab's name, and sealed them 
with his seal, and sent them to the elders 
and nobles. Cicero was one of the earliest 
to bring the art to perfection, ami his let¬ 
ters exhibit most of the graces of which it 
is capable. Seneca aud the younger Pliny 
also were among the masters in the art. 
When we consider the inconvenient and 
perishable medium that, the Romans had to 
content themselves with, we cannot, hut feel 
surprise at the number of letters that were 
written, and the large proportion that bus 
Como down to us. Thin wooden tablets, 
coated over with wax, were used and fasten¬ 
ed together with a crossed thread. The 
knotted ends were sealed with wax, and as 
the letters were usually written by a confi¬ 
dential slave (the librarian), the seal was the 
only guarantee of genuineness. Sometimes 
ivory or parchment tablets were used, and 
an elevated border was probably added, in 
order to prevent rubbing. The want of a 
system of posts was not felt among the 
Romans, as most families possessed tabdlarii , 
or special slaves, whose duty it was to con¬ 
vey letters to their destination. 
The value of communication between per¬ 
sons in distant places was appreciated in 
very early times; and we find Job exclaim¬ 
ing, 44 Now my days are swifter than a 
post." I 11 the days of HeZRKiah 44 the posts 
went with the letters from the king and Ids 
princes throughout all Israel and Judah,” 
and Ahasuerus sent letters into every pro¬ 
vince of his empire by 44 the posts that rode I 
upon mules and camels,” and were 44 hasten¬ 
ed and pressed on by the king’s command¬ 
ment," to inform his subjects that it was his 
imperial will that every man should bear 
rule in bis own house. 
Various modes of communication other 
than, writing have at different times been in 
use, such as numerically-marked or notched 
pieces of wood, and the many-colored cords 
regularly knotted, which were culled quipvs 
by the Peruvians. Herodotus tells us of a 
cruel practice resorted lo, in order lo convey 
secret intelligence with safety. The head 
ot a trusty messenger was shaved, ami cer¬ 
tain writings were impressed upon his skill I. 
Alter his hair had grown sufficiently long for 
the purposes of concealment he was senL 011 
his mission, and on arriving at Ids destination 
was again shaved, iu order that the writing 
might he revealed. When the Spaniards 
visited America limy found the postal com¬ 
munication in Mexico and Peru to be car¬ 
ried out on a most perfect system ; and wo 
learn that, the couriers of tlie Aztecs wore a 
differently colored dress, according us they 
brought good or hud tidings. 
The establishment of a postal system in 
England Is clilelly due to the sagacity of 
Richard 111., who commanded the expedi¬ 
tion against tlie Scots, iu his brother Ed¬ 
ward’s reign. During this time, as it. was 
necessary tor tliokilig and ids government 
to know how tlie war was carried on, stages 
of about twenty miles each were established 
upon the North road. They were afterward 
continued. 
When the cost of postage was high, the 
receiver expected lo get Ids money's worth 
iu a long letter, hut various tricks weieoliou 
resorted to in order to save this cost, and 
blank letters, with a cipher on the outside, 
were sometimes sent, and refused by Ihe per 
sons to whom they were directed, because 
they lrad learned from the exterior all that, 
they wanted to know. Another trick dis¬ 
covers nti ingenious mode of getting Ihiits 
free. A shrewd countryinau, learning Hint 
there was a letter for him at the post-office, 
Called for it, but confessing llmt he could not 
read, requested the postmaster to open it. 
and let him know the contents. When lie 
had obtained all the information ho required, 
be politely thanked tlie official fur liis kind¬ 
ness, and drily observed, “ When I have 
some change l will cull and take it.” 
it was the practice with the Romans to 
place the names of both the writer and Ids 
correspondent at, the commencement of tho 
letter, as 44 Paul, an nposlle of Jehih 
Christ, unto Timothy, my own son in tlie 
faith ;” and Hie ending usually consisted of 
the word vale or uve or naive. Tlie dales 
were scrupulously added, and sometimes the 
very hours wore mentioned. This method 
of the Romans might well be imitated by 
us, for we often find an old letter rendered 
Of little value by the omission of a date. A 
bail habit that some writers indulge in is to 
use tlie name of the day of the week, instead 
of the day of the mouth and year. Among 
ourselves ettiquette once placed her stern 
hands upon correspondence and laid down 
rules of how n letter was to be written. 
Among persons pretending lo any I'uSliimi 
it was considered proper to use line gult 
paper sealed with a coat-of-arms. 
Letter-writing has a special charm for 
shy, retiring men, because they are able to 
exhibit upon puper the feelings and emo¬ 
tions about Which they could not speak. 
Some men seem nlile to think only when a 
pen is iu their hands; though others, in the 
same situation, seem to lose all their ideas, 
Johnson said of the industrious Dr. Bntoii. 
44 Tom Birch is as brisk as a bee in conver¬ 
sation, but no sooner does he take a pen in 
his hand than it becomes a torpedo to him 
and benumbs ull his faculties.” J)r, French 
Lawrence was an instance of the exact re 
verse, for Fox made him put on paper u hat 
ho wanted to relate, saying, 44 I love to rend 
your writing, but 1 hate in hear you talk.” 
As long us letters have been written, the 
inadvertent misdirecting of them must havo 
been u constant source of trouble and an¬ 
noyance. In James I.’s reign a lover sent a 
letter intended lor his mistress to an ob¬ 
durate father, and liis letter renouncing her 
to the lady. When lie found out the dread¬ 
ful mistake lie hud committed, life became 
insupportable to him, and he threw himself 
upon Ids sword. Swift sent u love Idler to 
a bishop, and tlie letter intended for the 
bishop to the lady. 
The celebrated civilian, Dr. Daley, was 
fortunate iu tins success of bis expedient of 
purposely misdirecting liis letters. When 
he was employed on a diplomatic mission to 
Flanders, lie wus much pressed for money, 
and in a packet to Hie Secretary of State be 
sent two letters, one for Queen Elizabeth 
and the other for his wife, which lie ini-.di¬ 
rected, so that the letter ibr his wife was 
addressed to her mod excellent Majesty, and 
that for the Queen to his dear wife. The 
queen was surprised to find her letter begin¬ 
ning 44 Sweetheartund concluding with a 
request to her to he very economical, as the 
writer could send her nothing, because he 
was very short of money, and could not 
think of trespassing on the bounty of her 
Majesty any further. Daley was successful 
in bis .stratagem, as an immediate! supply of 
money was sent, to him and to bis family. 
Tlie deficiency Of ordinary people in the 
art lias long been felt, and complete letter* 
writers have been compiled to supply iho 
want. Sir Henry Ellis lias pointed out 
that, manuals of epistolary composition, both 
in French aud English, of the early part of 
the fifteenth century, exist in manuscript. 
Tho “ English Secretary,” published in 1599, 
is perhaps tlie earliest work on the subject 
in print. The voluminous author, Jervis 
Markham, bronght out in 1018 a guide, with 
the following title Conceited letters: or 
a most excellent Bundle of New \\ it, where¬ 
in is Unit up together all tlie perfections of 
the Art of Enistoling." The booksellers, 
RivinutON & Osborne, applied to Samuel 
Richardson to write for them n volume of 
letters in a simple style, on subjects that 
might serve as models for the use of those 
who had not the talent of inditing for them¬ 
selves. 
