ITALIAN EPISTOLARY ETIQUETTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3634, 27 September 1873, Page 6 (Supplement)

ITALIAN EPISTOLARY ETIQUETTE.

(All the Year Round.)

The courteous Italians designate every equal and superior as " Your grace," or "Your excellency," and speak to every one as "she " or "her." " twill visit you," is rendered " I will visit her," the feminine pronoun doing duty for the feminine nouns, grace arid excellency, which are always understood, though not always expressed. In business the Italians never use the words Caro signore, or. Dear sir, as the English do, bat address their correspondent as " Pregiatissimo signore," or " Stimatissimo signore," Most esteemed sir, varying the style of address by such epithets as "Honourable,'' "Illustrious," "Most gentle," "Most noble." If you addressed your tailor or bootmaker by letter, neither would be surprised, or offended, or suspicious of a joke, if you wrote on the envelope " Illustrissima signore," Most illustrious sir, and signing yourself " Vostro devotissitno," Your most devoted. These are the usual forms employed by the bulk of the people, by tradesmen, artizans, clerks, milliners, servants, and others, and a servant girl would not think well of any lover who did not address her as "Illustrissima signora." The following letter, translated verbatim, was addressed, after a quarrel at a drinking bout, by one angry disputant to another, whom he challenged to a duel:—" Most Esteemed Sir—Permit me to inform you that you are a pig. Yes, my beloved one. It is my intention in a short time to spoil your beauty, either by sword or pistol. The choice shall be left to you, as both weapons' are to me quite indifferent. Hoping soon to have the pleasure of a cherished answer, I declare myself to be, honourable sir, yours most devotedly,: Carlavero."