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   erally, proves a real necessity in commercial correspondence, not only for the sake of sparing time, but because prolixity is always adverse to clearness. A business man must write just enough to be understood; must use only as many words as are strictly necessarv to convey his meaning. Quotations, considerations, flourishes of any description whatsoever are always to be carefully avoided.
   By strictly abiding by these principles you will soon turn out a good hand in correspondence, which is not so very difficult after all.
   A. You put things in such clear simple light, that they appear plain enough at first sight, but I do not believe it so very easy to divest one's self of one's usual style of writing; exercise is no doubt the best means of conquering the difficulty, and for this I rely on your kind help, while on my part I shall spare no care or attention to follow the rules you have so neatly defined.
   0.  Where there's (i) a will there's a way (2), my friend, and you will find the way; I have not the least doubt of that.
   £1) There's  Accorciatura di « there is ».
   (2) Where there is a will, there is a way  Proverbio inglese corrispondente nel senso all'itaiiano « Vohre e potere ».
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   A.  Besides the leading characteristics of style, you just explained, are there any peculiar technicalities used in correspondence wherewith a commercial clerk should be acquainted ?
   0.  There are many, which I am going shortly to describe, distinguishing them, for the sake of clearness, into: technicalities of expression and technicalities of form. The former belong to what I call the slang of trade, and are in fact particular locutions, clauses or contractions, conveying a generally accepted conventional meaning, sometimes very far from what they would express if literally interpreted; the latter consists- of some material ways of disposing the matter contained in a letter, as prescribed by usage and conformably to the requirements of a counting-house.
   A.  No theory is available to get hold of such, I think, isn't so? (1
   0.  Not to technical expressions, of course; practice being the sole key to them.
   In a .contract of sale, for instance, or in letters dealing with sales, you will often meet the express condition that the goods are sold
   (1) Isn't  Accorciatura di Is it not.