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Invitation to Dinner (Bachelor's).

The Albany, June 10th.

Dear Browne,

Will you dine with me at eight o'clock to-morrow? Some of our fellows are coming, and we mean to have a quiet game of whist in the course of the evening. Come if possible.

Yours truly, ______

Accepting.

Gower Street, June 18th.

Dear——,

I will come without fail, and win your money if I can.

Yours truly, ______

Invitation to Family Dinner.

Camden Town, March 4th.

Dear Smith,

Will you dine with us to-morrow? It is the old lady's birthday, and I can offer her no greater pleasure, I am sure, than your pleasant company. Do come if you can, there's a good fellow.

Yours ever, ______

Accepting.

Russell Square, March 4th.

Dear——,

I shall be delighted to accept your kind invitation for to-morrow, and offer my good wishes to your charming wife on her birthday.

Yours ever, ______

Invitation to Family Dinner.

Medway Villas, June 8th.

Dear Captain Maurice,

Will you favour Mrs. Trevor and myself with your company at dinner on Monday next at 6 o'clock? We expect General Hill and his wife, and think you may like to make their acquaintance.

With our united regards,

Believe me,

Yours truly, ______

Invitation to a Croquet Party.

Havant, May 17th.

Dear Howard,

The girls talk of having a croquet party on Thursday next. Will you join it? We shall be delighted to see you if you can come. Little Totty desires me to add, that you must play on her side, because then she will be sure to be one of the winners.

Ever yours most truly, ______

Accepting.

Havant, May 18th.

Dear——,

I shall be delighted to join your croquet party. Pray offer my best respects to Miss Totty, and tell her I will do all I can to prove myself her obedient servant.

Believe me, ever yours truly,

Howard.

Declining.

Havant, May 18th.

Dear——,

I regret extremely that I cannot accept your invitation, and put myself at Miss Totty's disposal for a game of croquet; but, unluckily, I am obliged to go to town to-morrow, and shall not return till Monday week.

Yours ever, ______

From a Gentleman, accepting an Invitation, though suffering from illness (temporary).

Hampstead, May 4th.

Dear Mrs. Thurgood,

I have been laid up with neuralgia for some days, and have not yet recovered from it. I will, however, accept your kind invitation for Saturday next, and hope to be able to come.

With kind regards to yourself and sister,

I remain,

Yours very truly,

Walter Bossora.

A Gentleman regretting he cannot accept an Invitation.

The Albany, February 1st, 187—

My dear Madam,

Thank you very much for thinking of me on Saturday. I should have liked to have joined your party immensely, but I go to Ventnor that afternoon, and am therefore unable to have the pleasure of accepting your very kind invitation.

My mother and sisters have gone to Beaumaris; they left on Wednesday, and on the same day our friends the Boscawens returned to Ventnor. I hope to reach that truly lovely place on Saturday. Although a month has elapsed since the last year left us, I must send you and your sister all good old-fashioned New Year's wishes, hearty and sincere; will you both accept them? And with many thanks, repeated, for your kind note,

Believe, me,

Dear Mrs. B——,

Your sincere friend,

Henry Ross.

Invitation to a Gentleman to Row in a Boat.

Chester, June 18th, 187—

Dear George,

Will you join three friends and myself on Saturday next for a row up the river? You are a capital stroke, and we wish to get into the way of pulling a longer stroke than we have at present: little Jerry will steer us. Do not say No. We will finish the evening at the——, where I have ordered supper.

Yours sincerely,

Bedford Price.

Accepting.

Rock Terry, June 19th, 187—

Dear Bedford,

I fancy you have formed too good an idea of my performance as a stroke oar; however, if you think I can be of any use to your crew, I will readily do my best. I shall sleep in Chester, so we need not hurry in returning from our practice.

Yours sincerely,

George Sheepshanks.

Invitation to a Bachelor Party.

Kidderminster, February, 187—

Dear Fellows,

Yesterday I met Donovan and our four other old friends, who are here for a few days; they are coming to dine with me to-morrow at seven. I know it is some years since you met them; I hope you will make one of our party.

Believe me,

Yours sincerely,

F. Cunningham.

Accepting the same.

Hill House, Kidderminster, Feb. 187—

Dear Cunningham,

It will afford me the very greatest pleasure to dine with you to-morrow at seven. It is many years since I met those you mention, but I have a vivid recollection of passing many pleasant hours in their society and companionship.

Believe me,

Yours sincerely,

Harry Fellows.

Invitation to a Gentleman to a Friendly Dinner.

Dunland Place, Oct. 1st, 187—

Dear Hindmarsh,

I heard by the merest accident, yesterday evening, that you were in town. Will you come and dine with us to-morrow? You know our time, but I may as well remind you that it is seven o'clock. I met J. F——, and our intimate friend from the north, yesterday. They will be here, and we shall have a little music in the evening, when I hope your tenor voice will be in its usual power and sweetness. All join in best regards.

Yours very sincerely, ______

Postponing a Visit.

Greenfield, October 10th.

My dear George,

I regret extremely that we are obliged to ask you to postpone your visit till next month.

We can not get the house at Brighton for which we were in treaty, till that time, and our present abode is so small that we are unable to offer a bedroom to a friend.

I trust this delay will not inconvenience you. It is a great disappointment to us, as we longed equally for the sea and your company.

My wife unites with me in kind remembrances.

I am ever,

Yours very truly, ______

Same.

The Beeches, Sydenham,

November 6th.

My dear Tom,

I am sure you will be truly grieved to hear that the sudden and dangerous illness of my mother will oblige me to postpone our dinner party fixed for the 17th.

I hope to give you better news shortly, and renew my invitation.

Truly yours, ______

Invitation to be "Best Man" at a Wedding.

Reading, May 6th.

Dear Tom,

I intend to be "turned off" next Tuesday week! Will you attend on the mournful occasion as "best man?"

Seriously, I am to be married to my charming little Ada on the——, and I look for your presence at our bridal as the completion of my happiness, for then the man and woman I love best will unite in confirming my happiness.

Always yours, ______

Same.

Liphook, May 6th.

Dear John,

Julia has consented to our marriage on the 15th inst., and I scribble a line to remind you of your promise to be "best man" on the occasion. Marriage is supposed sometimes to separate bachelor friendships, but such will not be the case in my instance, my dear fellow. Julia has a great regard for you, and is too sensible and good to interfere between us with petty jealousies.

I am awfully happy, Jack! Wish me joy, and

Believe me

Ever your true friend, ______

Accepting.

The Albany, May 7th.

Dear——,

I shall be delighted to assist at the important event fixed for the——, and beg to offer my best congratulations to Miss—— and yourself on your approaching happiness.

I intend to offer as my wedding gift a drawing-room clock. My object in naming this intention to you is that, if you are likely to receive a similar gift from any other friend, you will tell me so, and I will exchange it for something else, as duplicate gifts are a great bore.

Ever, dear Hal,

Your true old friend,

John.

Invitation to join a Party to the Derby.

Knightsbridge, May 22.

Dear Norris,

Three of our fellows have agreed to go to the Derby together in a drag, and we shall be very glad if you will make a fourth. Jervis drives.

Don't refuse, old fellow; we shall have a jolly day, and I shall enjoy it doubly if you go with us.

Yours truly, ______

Same.

Green Bank, May 23rd.

Dear Reid,

Will you accompany a party of us to-morrow to the Derby?

Let me have an answer by bearer, and take care that it is in the affirmative.

Yours ever, ______

Accepting.

London, May 23rd.

Dear George,

I shall have much pleasure in accompanying you to the Derby. Let me know, please, the hour at which you start.

I am, ever,

Yours truly,

J. Reid.

Refusing.

London, May 23rd.

Dear Bob,

It is awfully unlucky, but I am obliged to go to Chester on the Derby day, and can't do as I desire. I wish you a pleasant trip.

I am ever, yours truly, ______

Love-letter from a Gentleman to a Lady.

The Temple, June 4th.

Dearest,

Days have passed by now since we have had the pleasure of a few moments' conversation even; how these hours have dragged their slow pace along you and I alone can tell. It is only when we are left to the peaceful enjoyment of our own society that time flies. It may be that to-morrow at Mrs. E.'s we shall have a little time alone. We all dine there; she told me she should have a dance also, and that your mamma had promised her your sister and yourself should be of the party. May I ask for the first waltz? I send a few flowers, but I imagine you will only wear one, the rose in your hair; your sister is always pleased with a bouquet, so I shall not be very angry if you let her have them, only wear my rose.

Your own

Edward.

A Sailor to his Sweetheart.

H.M.S. Centaur, June 14th, 187-

My dear Fanny,

You are never out of my mind. If you only think of me half as much, I shall be satisfied. Sleeping or waking it is all the same, Fanny, you are my only thought. What have you done with your piece of the half-sovereign we cut in halves? I have bored a hole in mine, and wear it round my neck on a bit of blue ribbon, to show that your William is true blue. Do you wear yours the same, my dearest Fanny? When I come home we will splice the halves, and Fanny and her William will be one—will we not, darling girl? Our cruise will now soon be over; I only hope, Fanny, you have been as true to me as I have been to you; never have I ceased thinking of you. Bear in mind your faithful William, who loves you as fondly as ever.

Your devoted lover,

William.

Gentleman's reply to the Lady, imagining he was indifferent to her.

Gillingham, April 16th, 187-

Dearest Love,

Such I must and will, with your permission, always call you. Your letter really caused me much uneasiness. But, Dr. B., who came in just as it arrived, strictly forbade me to excite myself in any way, and would not allow me to reply to it immediately, as he feared an immediate return of my old heart complaint. Who can have been so mischievous, so ungenerous, so determined to make two hearts miserable, as to invent this wicked story of my flirtation with Miss G.? You name Mrs. G. On inquiring of her this morning I find she heard it somewhere spoken of, she says, but cannot recall to her mind the person who mentioned it. Let me at once and for ever disabuse you of such a suspicion. My affection for you is unchanged and unchangeable; often and often I have by letter and verbally too, pledged myself that you alone, Katie dearest, were my only thought, my only joy. Banish all vain suspicions from your mind. Trust in me; I will never deceive you; my love is inviolably yours; for you I breathe, for you I live, without you I should die. Believe me, dearest, night and day you are uppermost in my thoughts, and a sad, sad day it would be for me if for one moment you withdrew that confidence in me that I have so long happily possessed. Believe no aspersions against one who loves you madly. The time, I trust, will soon arrive when I can call you mine alone, and no breath of suspicion shall ever fall upon my fidelity. Love me then, my dearest, as your own heart dictates; have no cares in future as to any attention even in the least degree being shown by me to any one, further than due civility, or what is required from the usages of society, exacts. To-morrow I will do myself the pleasure of calling, and trust then to succeed (if not successful now) in fully explaining away any doubts or fears you may entertain.

Believe me,

Dearest Katie,

Your ever affectionate,

From a Gentleman to a Lady with whom he is in love.

Braintree, Essex.

Dear Miss——,

As no opportunity has presented itself of speaking to you lately alone, I venture to address you by letter, and I assure you my happiness greatly depends on the reply with which you may deign to favour me.

I love you, dear Miss——, very sincerely, and if you can return my affection and become my wife, I shall consider myself the most fortunate of men.

The income which I can place at your disposal is not large, but in my family you will find the most tender and affectionate connexions. My mother (to whom alone I have confided my secret) is rejoiced at the hope of having you for a daughter. Do not, best beloved Miss Johnstone, disappoint her and myself! Should you not reject me—if I am ever so happy as to call you my wife—the tenderest and most affectionate devotion shall be yours, and the principal and only study of my future days shall be to render your life as happy as you deservedly merit it should be. Your reply is most impatiently awaited by one whose life is wrapped up in yours. My aunt has just called, and it appears that some years since she was very intimately acquainted with your father, to whom I have written, enclosing this note for you, and stating to him the purport of its contents.

I remain,

Dear Miss Johnstone,

Yours very truly,

Harry Clinton.

From a Soldier ordered Abroad, to his affianced Bride.

Portsmouth, April 15th, 187-

Dearest Julia,

I can scarcely compose myself to write, for this very morning, at mid-day parade, a telegram was received by our commanding officer directing the regiment to hold itself under orders for immediate foreign service; so that of course I shall be prevented seeing you before our departure, as all leave is stopped for officers as well as for the non-commissioned officers and men. Where our future destination may be no one can at present conjecture, but we think it may be Canada. How blighted now are our hopes! where all seemed bright and joyous, nothing is left but separation and blank despair. Julia, you love me; you are mine, are you not, dear Julia? Although separated for a time, we shall love each other faithfully; no doubts must arise, no feelings of suspicion or fear between us; but firm in the knowledge that we are devotedly attached to each other, and that nothing can change the ardent feelings we entertain, we must wait and hope. I trust in a few short years, my darling Julia, to call you mine. Your Ronald will be true to his promise and his love, and in faith that his Julia will bear up bravely, as a soldier's destined wife should do, he obeys his country's call in anguish but not in despair. Accept the little present I send you (forwarded by registered letter by this evening's post), and with most affectionate and enduring love,

Believe me,

My dearest Julia,

Your ever devoted,

Ronald Dugan.

From a Gentleman to a Young Lady.

Snow Hill, January 1st, 187-

Dear Rosy,

On returning from skating yesterday afternoon, and reflecting alone on the pleasant morning we had passed, I was more than ever impressed with my wretched solitary existence. Will you break for me this monotonous routine of life by saying, "It need not be, Charlie."

I have loved you fondly and long; your parents and mine are intimate friends; they know my private character. Will you accept me as your husband, dearest Rosy?

Believe me,

Your ever fondly attached,

Charlie Byers.

From a Husband to his Wife, on sailing from England.

H.M.S. Psyche, June 8th.

My dearest Wife,

I take the opportunity of the pilot's return to send you a hurried and last farewell. Oh, my dearest, what but duty could reconcile me to leaving you? What but the certainty that we are both protected by our Heavenly Father could support me through the weary days and nights which I am destined to spend far from you? Ah! the waves that are now washing the sides of our vessel will soon cease to beat upon that shore where my wife, where my friends are all thinking of me.

Farewell my dearest wife; be assured I am in good health and tolerable spirits.

Comfort yourself, my dearest! we shall all meet soon and happily again. I have not time to write to my mother, but pray tell her she is always in my thoughts. God bless you, dearest!—my heart is full of you.

Ever your devoted husband,

H. P.

From a Husband absent on Business to his Wife.

The Fens, Lincolnshire, June 1st, 187-

Dearest Isabella,

This is the first time, my darling, we have ever experienced the bitterness and misery of separation, and the few days I have already been absent from you appear like years. What my state of mind will be at the expiration of another two or three weeks I will let your little affectionate heart conjecture. But I must not be selfish, my dearest Isa. You share my trial, but do not be down-hearted, the time will soon pass away. You must go out and visit the nice friends near you. Your dear kind mother also is within an easy walk, I am glad to think.

Roger Hughes is going to stay with his family for some little while; I do not care much about him (you remember we met him at——). He is certain to call upon you, but it will be just as well not to be at home to him always. Hoping to return in a fortnight, I remain, with very best love to your mother and yourself,

Your ever affectionate husband,

Josiah Webb.

From a Father to his Son beginning the World.

Hampstead, May 6th, 187-

My dearest Son,

Separated as you will shortly be from your childhood's home—for many years, perhaps—and not having your poor old father to consult and obtain advice from, when any difficulties may arise, you will naturally be inclined to appeal to those among your acquaintances whom you may consider from intimate association as entitled to the name of friends.

Now this is a matter in which you must observe the very greatest caution and discrimination; a mistake made in selecting a friend and acting up to his advice, is a fatal one, and no one can for a moment form an idea of the consequences which may arise from it. In the first place, do not seek the friendship of the "fast young man" whose sole thought is to gratify himself in the enjoyment of this world's pleasures, without any regard to the misery or disgrace his conduct may be entailing on a happy, innocent family. Make friends of those who, by their actions, have raised themselves in the estimation of their superiors, and are regarded with eyes of jealous admiration by their equals. Remember the old proverb, "Tell who are your friends, and I will tell you what you are."

I hope, dear boy, your own good sense will lead you to avoid bad companions. Should you ever (which I trust may never be the case) be tempted to do anything contrary to the laws of honour or of duty, question yourself thus: "Should I do this in my father's house? should I act thus in my mother's presence?" The answer will be the best talisman to keep you from falling in your combat with the world.

We have great hopes in you, my dear son. Never omit to write to your dear mother and myself, when you possibly can; and with our best and fondest love,

Believe me,

Ever your affectionate father, ______

From a Son who has misconducted himself towards his Employer, to his Father.

Eastcheap, November 18th, 187-

Dear Father,

I am in such distress I scarcely know how to commence my letter. Without the least reason, without the least provocation, I left my master at the most busy season, just for a temporary, trifling amusement. He—the best of masters—for the moment was forgotten by me: self predominated. I ran away from my service, and here I find myself disgraced and miserable, and grieve to think how indescribably shocked you will be when Mr. Evans communicates with you relative to my absence. However, dear father, there is one consolation: I cannot be accused of dishonesty; so I hope my character is not irretrievably ruined. Will you see my master, and tell him how deeply I regret my fault, and entreat him to forgive me? It shall hereafter be my constant study to perform my duty in the most upright manner, and with the most assiduous attention. Let me hear also, dear father, in sending me Mr. Evans's reply, that you also forgive

Your erring, but heartbroken son,

H. H. H.

The Father's Answer.

Bedhampton, November 21st, 187-

My dear Son,

Words cannot express my grief at the receipt of your letter. How can you so soon have forgotten all the home lessons of duty you have learned? What society can you have mingled in to have caused you to be guilty of such folly? I have seen your master, and read him your letter; and he agrees with myself that from the manner you have acted in immediately informing me of your position, it is probable you may, in an untoward moment, have been induced to commit an act which you will never cease to regret. It is your first offence, and he bids me say he rejoices that you are sensible of your grievous error, and he will allow you to return, and never mention what has occurred to you. Never, dear son, forget yourself again, be grateful to your master, who is charity itself, and

Believe me,

Your affectionate father, ______

A Father applying to a Principal of a School to ascertain Terms, &c.

Hopwood House, June 16th, 187-

Sir,

Being desirous of sending my son, aged thirteen, to school, my friends have strongly recommended me to apply to you on the subject.

I should be glad to learn your terms, and to be informed as to your plan of tuition.

Will you favour me with a prospectus of your School, and also inform me whether you have a vacancy?

I remain,

Yours faithfully, ______

To a Child who has being guilty of telling a Falsehood.