"Nature doth thus kindly heal every wound. By the mediation of a thousand little mosses and fungi, the most unsightly objects become radiant of beauty."
~Henry David Thoreau
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Letter Writing
The History and Value of Letter Writing in Science
“You’ve got mail!” Whether it’s a smooth rectangular envelope sliding through your mail slot or a blue dot popping up in your humming computer’s inbox, those three little words will certainly grab your attention, even more so when Hollywood actors Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are doing the sending (one of my favorite movies). Regardless of the means, there is still nothing more human than wanting to communicate with one another.
While we still send a physical letter or card through the postal service from time to time, in the modern era communication is most likely to take the form of an email, message, or text that is instantly received by our intended recipient. Our messages range from formal communication about jobs or business to quick messages to friends about inconsequential things like telling someone where we are parked or inviting a friend to dinner. Rarely do we even talk on the telephone anymore it seems. But before these methods existed, we communicated the slow way, by letter, sometimes called snail mail these days. While the use of technology to connect with others has largely replaced letters in recent times, the slow-simmered version — letter writing, by contrast, has a long history.
Letter Writing Through History
Throughout our history, letter writing has been the dominant way we communicate news, greetings, and information. A quick primer on letter writing history tells us that the practice has been around since ancient times, having been mentioned in the early written histories of Herodotus in 425 BC. The ancient Greeks were, in fact, known for their elaborate letter-writing practices. They considered it a skill of the wealthy and well-educated, writing predominantly in Latin. Much later, in the 17th and 18th centuries with the advent of the postal system, letter writing became more convenient. Letters were used in new ways to self-educate, be expressive, and conduct business. Writing was both formal and informal and became associated with a practice in personal etiquette whose technique was representative of a person’s style and status. It was also a chance for women to show off their intelligence, further showing the role letter writing has played in societies for a long time. In the 19th and 20th centuries, letters remained popular and because mailing a letter was easy, reliable, and inexpensive, the practice was exercised by everyone, near or far, to stay connected regardless of social or economic class.
Letters as a Way to Document History
Letter writing was also a way to document historical and scientific information. Scientists and historians used letter writing as a means to communicate and publish information about their work, to request research aid, and to record historical events, among other reasons. Many collections of letters, along with diaries and memoirs, have constituted the knowledge we have of our history, giving a first-person point of view to events. This view gives subjective context to events and the thinking that surrounded them as well as a clearer view of the day-to-day mindset of both leading thinkers and ordinary citizens, especially as more viewpoints were expressed. We attempt to understand our history and discoveries through these original eyewitness sources, like wartime letters from POWs and soldiers, the letters of Abraham Lincoln, the letters of Winston Churchill, the Charles Darwin-Alfred Russell Wallace Correspondance, and the letters from the South Pole of Admunsen and Scott, to name just a few of the important historical letter collections that exist in the world’s libraries today.
Letters in Science
Letters have also given us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of science. Scientists aren’t usually who we think of as letter writers. We presume that they are busy with work and not as interested in communicating about it, a common criticism that holds today. But there is nonetheless a large number of letters and notes from scientists throughout history. Their notes express scientific information, but also creative descriptions, contemplative thoughts, and inferences. Antony van Leeuwenhoek, considered the father of microbiology, was a prolific author of letters and manuscripts that were sort of like “open” letters, writing in his 1677 paper, the famous “letter on the protozoa,” giving an interesting description of bacteria and protists, “animalcules” as he called them, in a variety of environments. He wrote
“In 1675 I discovered living creatures in rainwater which had stood but a few days in a new earthen pot, glassed blew [blue] within. This invited me to view this water with great attention, especially those little animals appearing to me ten thousand times less than those represented by Mons. Swamerdam and called by him water fleas or water lice, which may be perceived in the water with the naked eye.”
Scientists’ letters and papers certainly conveyed a variety of things about their work and frequently followed the entire scientific process. They often wrote because of their isolation in their field. They needed to communicate with colleagues in many fields all over the world to gather ideas and facts. They expressed their work and belief systems about their work. They wrote to garner support and assistance. Polar explorer Richard E. Byrd received a reply of support from US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and also an apparent philatelist, on the departure of his Antarctic expedition. He tells Byrd on September 7, 1933
“ I want you to feel that on your expedition you have the full support of the United States government and that you can call on the government in case of need of emergency. When you reestablish the post office at Little America be sure to send me a letter for my stamp collection. Good luck to you and all of your associates and crews.”
Scientists addressed criticisms and encouraged healthy debate about the merits of their findings as their colleagues sought agreement with their results, exemplified by British chemist and X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin’s words to James Watson in a 1954/1957 letter: “Dear sir, Here is the TY17V manuscript. We should be glad of your comments and criticisms…”
When they weren’t writing to colleagues, many wrote to family and friends. Their notes to loved ones were more personal, often about stress, beliefs, and self-doubts about their work. Albert Einstein wrote a letter to his beloved sister Maja nine years after he completed the general theory of relativity in 1915 that expressed his fears. He wrote
“Scientifically I haven’t achieved much recently - the brain gradually goes off with age, although that’s not so unpleasant.
Later he would write to her “I am happy in my work, even if in this and in other matters I am starting to feel that the brilliance of younger years is past.”
Their letters were also addressed to others. If their research showed promise or if they gained notoriety, letters consisted of courteous replies to fans and interested people. They wrote to express gratitude for help with their work or for accolades and communicated about their work to lay audiences. Famed geneticist Gregor Mendel put pen to paper to thank Carl Nageli in his letter written on May 4, 1868
“Accept my most cordial gratitude for the Hieracium seeds, which arrived in good condition. How grateful I am for this kind of shipment, and how much I do appreciate your kindness in promising also a shipment of living plants. I shall do my utmost to produce all the possible hybrids among the species, and if they should be fertile, their progeny will be observed for several generations.”
Microbiologist Alexander Flemming, the discoverer of penicillin, replied to a letter from an interested doctor friend, Ted L. Story November 3, 1947, answering why he believes it is tricky to suggest that penicillin be a cure for the common cold. He wrote in his prescient letter
“In the past we have been very quiet about the use of penicillin as a “cold cure”. There have been so many flops in that direction and as regards the extract from Lapin issued by Bristol and Co., this is just what I was afraid would happen. If this system does not develop fast organisms it would be excellent, but it would be a disaster if it bred resistant races. However, this is a thing that only time will show.”
Finally, in later years, the topics of many letters by scientists often turned to their legacy and the greater purpose of their life’s work, completing the circle of knowledge that surrounded their scientific endeavors. Astronaut Neil Armstrong wrote a personal letter of tribute to the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, which provided the communications between Apollo 11 and mission control, waxing poetic about the legacy of the moon landing 40 years prior. In part, he wrote
“We were involved in doing what many thought to be impossible, putting humans on Earth’s moon. Science fiction writers thought it would be possible. H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and other authors found ways to get people to the moon. But none of those writers foresaw any possibility of the lunar explorers being able to communicate with Earth, transmit data, position information, or transmit moving pictures of what they saw back to Earth…”
The Value of the Written Letter
Studying scientists’ letters and notes gives us not only information about their work but also insight into their thinking. Examining their heuristic approaches amidst societal norms and beliefs of the time is an important way we understand how scientific discoveries came to fruition and became accepted. Attitudes and ethics can change. And science can change for that matter as we develop more precise means of scientific experimentation. It is always important, however, to revisit how we seek and find answers so that we can appreciate the process of discovery and solidify our knowledge but also question how we are influenced so that we can strive to become better scientists and problem-solvers. This makes letters an important resource. Could it be that expression through letter writing is more valuable than we have thought? While we have turned mainly to electronic means to communicate, changing the depth of what is shared, it is certainly worth considering that letter writing is not just a bit of romantic fluff and a nostalgic practice, but a valuable way in which our words have and will continue to shape how we view ourselves in the world and ultimately the kind of problems we can solve.
The History and Value of Letter Writing in Science
Author: Rachel Osborne 11/13/2023
https://www.fieldstationnotes.com/wildlife
Citations:
1. Churchill, Winston. The Churchill Papers. Typed letters. Churchill Archives Center. https://archives.chu.cam.ac.uk/collections/churchill-papers/. November 13, 2023.
2. ​Crezo, Adrienne. “6 Memorable Letters From Neil Armstrong”. Mental Floss. 5, August, 2017. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/12360/6-memorable-letters-neil-armstrong.
3. Eveleth, Rose. “The Last Letters From Scott’s South Pole Team Are Heart Breaking”.
Smithsonian Magazine, 13, Nov. 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-last-letters-from-scotts-south-pole-team-are-heart-breaking-120075713/
4. Fleming, Alexander, November 3, 1947. Typed Letter. Swann Auction Galleries. https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/%28MEDICINE%29-FLEMING-ALEXANDER-Typed-Letter-Signed-Alex-Flemin?saleno=2573&lotNo=42&refNo=782810. 13, Nov. 2023.
5. Flood, Alison. “‘I haven’t achieved much recently’: Albert Einstein’s private fears revealed in Sister’s Archive”. The Guardian. 14, Mar. 2018. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/mar/14/albert-einstein-letters-sister-maja
6. Franklin, Rosalind, 1920-1958, “Handwritten letter from Rosalind Franklin to James D. Watson,” CSHL Archives Repository, Reference JDW/2/2/618/45, accessed November 13, 2023, https://libgallery.cshl.edu/items/show/37182.
7. Jones, Malcolm. “The History of Letter Writing”. Newsweek, 17 January, 2009,
https://www.newsweek.com/history-and-lost-art-letter-writing-78365.
8. Lane, N. “The Unseen World: Reflections on Leeuwenhoek (1677) ‘Concerning little animals’. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2015 Apr 19;370 (1666): 20140344. Doi: 1098/rstb.2014.0344. PMID: 25750239; PMCID: PMC4360124. Https://roalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2014.0344, 13, Nov. 2023.
9. Letter Writing. “A direct, written message that is usually sent some distance from one person to another”. Britannica Kids. http://kids.britannica.com/students/article/letter-writing/275444.
10. Lincoln, Abraham. “Lincoln’s Letters”. The Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana. Written letter. The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/collections/alfred-whital-stern-lincolniana/articles-and-essays/collection-highlights/lincolns-letters/?st=slideshow. November 13, 2023.
11. Mendel, Gregor. “Gregor Mendel’s Letters to Carl Nageli 1866-1873.” Translated by Leonie Kellen Piternick and George Piternick, Department of Zoology, UC Berkeley, CA, 1950.
Genetics, 35 (5, pt. 2): 1-29. http://www.esp.org/foundations/genetics/classical/holdings/m/gm-let.pdf. 13, Nov. 2023.
12. Roberts, William. “History of Letter-Writing, from the Earliest Period to the Fifth Century.” London, W. Pickering, 1843. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/12024829/>. https://www.loc.gov/item/12024829/. 1
13. Roosevelt, Franklin D. “Letter to Rear Admiral Richard E. Bird on the Departure of His Antarctic Expedition.” The American Presidency Project, Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, UC Santa Barbara, 7, Sept. 1933, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/letter-rear-admiral-richard-e-byrd-the-departure-his-antarctic-expedition.
14. Smithsonian National Postal Museum. “As World War II drew to a close, Americans prepared to welcome their returning heroes.” https://postalmuseum.si.edu/research-articles/letter-writing-in-america/letter-writing-in-the-twentieth-century. 13, Nov. 2023.
Write Your Own Letter
The experience of receiving an email doesn’t hold a candle to the real thing- a handwritten letter. The love and care that goes into a letter gives the recipient the feeling of being near to the writer in a way that electronic mail could never offer. It’s a tactile experience and one that requires a great deal of thought and time. Additionally, the practice of letter writing is a skill that can be developed. It can be fun, artistic, and challenging. It fosters good manners and gives people a sense of connection and belonging. Some even consider epistolary writing as a genre of writing and an art form. You may be wondering, how do I write my own eloquent letter?
There are many kinds of letters from personal letters to business letters, letters of intent, letters of request, letters of complaint, etc, but here we will talk about writing a personal letter like the Victorians wrote, in all their descriptiveness and poetic charm, whether it be to just say hello or to write about your travels or wild experiences in nature.
A few bits of etiquette and style surround letter writing and this intimidates a lot of people, but when you learn a few simple rules and break down a letter into sections, having a few ready-to-go phrases up your sleeve, you will find it to be easier. Perhaps you already learned these tips in school.
First of all, writing a letter serves a few purposes, representing the different types of personal letter styles. There is a letter of greeting if you wish to just say hello to someone you haven’t corresponded with in a while. There is a letter of invitation if you want to invite someone to a dinner, party, or other event. There is a letter of congratulations to express recognition of someone’s achievement, birthday, nuptials, or other milestone. A letter of sympathy or condolence expresses a message to someone who is sick or is in mourning. There is a also the thank you note or letter to express appreciation for something someone has done for you or given to you. But each type of letter follows the same general format.
General Letter Writing Etiquette
The etiquette surrounding letter writing is fairly simple and follows these few rules that I have gathered and updated to today’s standards that you may find helpful when writing your letter.
1. Use clean and high-quality stationery, preferably white or cream, writing front to back. You may use delicately perfumed paper. Stationary should match and fit the envelope.
2. The letter should be handwritten, but may be typed, but with not too large or bold of characters. When handwritten, The letter should be written in indelible ink, preferably black, but blue is acceptable. There should be no blots and minimal cross-outs. Consider a clean sheet when mistakes are made. Don’t write along the sides of the paper.
3. A letter should follow a general format with a salutation, introduction, body, conclusion, and closing.
4. The letter should be directed to a specific person and center on a topic that should be conversational and show reciprocation such as asking how someone is before telling them about yourself. You may make it more conversational by asking agreement or rhetorical questions. Be expressive and artistic.
5. Be concise and clear and not too long, but also not too short. Be creative but without too many flourishes. It shouldn’t be too hard to understand. Grammar should be good and sentences should be complete and flow easily.
6. Always be courteous. Never write angry letters. A letter should never be gossipy or sound too depressing.
7. Condolence letters should express sorrow, but not be overly sad and also should never minimize what the recipient may feel or be overly optimistic.
8. A letter requires a reply if it is for a purpose or with the intent to correspond and one should be initiated promptly or within an acceptable time frame depending on the circumstances. Replies should attempt to answer any questions that were asked in the initial letter.
9. Letters of congratulations, sympathy, or condolences are always required amongst close family and friends but become more optional as you are less acquainted.
10. Keep letters in confidence as these are private words.
Personal Letter Writing Format
The Salutation
Write the date. Generally, you should write the month in word form such as “January 3, 2024”, or abbreviated “Jan. 3, 2024.” This can be placed in the upper right-hand corner of the page. If you choose to also include your return address, the date may go either in the upper left-hand corner or right-hand corner. On the left, skip a couple of lines after the date and then place your address, then skip a couple of lines, and then add the salutation. The salutation is placed on its own line on the left and is followed by a comma or colon mark. You may write Dear before the person’s first name for close relationships, but a first name or title and last name is also recommended depending on the relationship. You may also choose other salutations like Dear sir, Dear madame, hello and the name, etc. Consider the relationship and level of respect that is required in the salutation.
The Introduction
The purpose of the introduction is to make a greeting, ask or express hope for the good health and happiness of your recipient, mention the receipt of any letters to which you are replying, establish a purpose for the letter, and why your recipient was thought of concerning its purpose. You may also mention if there is something enclosed in the letter. It can also be interesting to put yourself into the moment with your reader and describe your current location if it is relevant to the topic.
Introduction examples:
Dearest Mary,
Hello! I sit here in a quaint pavilion in Forest Park and am reminded of the time when we spent the afternoon at the Centennial picnic laughing at the men in tall hats and the ducks that waddled up to the buffet. It seems so long ago. I hope that you and your family are well and you feel eternal happiness. I write to you to perhaps know a little about your life since we last met as I feel such gratitude to have been your acquaintance.
Michael,
Greetings to you! I opened my mailbox and was so wonderfully surprised to have received the package in brown paper from across the world that you sent to me. As I unwrapped it, I was astonished to see that it was, in fact, your new book entitled Fern Species of South America. I shall be glad to read it and give you my thoughts. I sincerely wish to express my gratitude for the thoughtful gift. I hope that you are in good health and your family is doing well, though I am sure you are weary from all of your book travels.
My Dear Evelyn,
It seems I was just in New York in the spring when I had the chance to spend some time with Robert, talking about you and the girls and our working lives. For this reason, it seems so hard to fathom that Robert has left us so suddenly. The news came to me by way of Annette, who has been equally in a state of disbelief. I am so terribly sad to hear of these events and as I offer you my sympathy, I hope you are finding comfort in your dear friends and family.
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The Body
The body of the letter should elaborate on the purpose of the letter and may be descriptive, contemplative, or persuasive if required. Think about how you want the reader to feel. Express your feelings, but be cautious about saying too much. Your words should express a connection to your recipient and show the knowledge that you have of that person, possibly reflecting on moments you have shared with this person in the past. You can also elaborate on your interest in the topic. For thank you letters, you may thank the person for the specifically named gift you received and may express not only how you like and appreciate the thought, but also how you may use it, showing that you have given their generosity some thought. For a sympathy or condolence letter, you may express empathy and sadness for what they are experiencing and share memories you have of them in better times. But never gloss over their experiences by being overly optimistic. For a congratulatory letter, you may express pride and admiration for their accomplishments and share a memory that is linked in some way to the accomplishment. You can add humor when the situation calls for it, but remember that irony and sarcasm are difficult to convey and can be easily misunderstood.
Example:
Dearest Mary,
Hello! I sit here in a quaint pavilion in Forest Park and am reminded of the time when we spent the afternoon at the Centennial picnic laughing at the men in tall hats and the ducks that waddled up to the buffet. It seems so long ago. I hope that you and your family are well and you feel eternal happiness. I write to you to perhaps know a little about your life since we last met as I feel such gratitude to have been your acquaintance.
I have been well. For the last many months, I have worked hard to secure the deed to my dearly departed father’s boyhood homestead. He lived a good life and saw to it that my three siblings and I could share in his good fortune. As soon as I have finalized the papers, I envision sitting on the porch near the old oak tree and sipping my tea with great satisfaction. I have also been working at the behest of Mr. Stanton in the accounting office as his esteemed business associate. These circumstances have positioned me well for a future of happiness and hope for a high standard of life. I still make the occasional acquaintance of a few of our mutual friends and my thoughts turn to days like we spent in this park. I wonder if you have stayed in Blue Springs like you said you would or if you ventured out into the world on your own. I was so fond of your mother and father and kindly ask that you also send them my warmest regards.
Conclusion
The conclusion is a section of your letter that wraps up the conversation. It can reiterate to some extent what was written in the introduction and body. It can be a place to reiterate an action that is needed or it can be used to express hopes of a future meeting in person as long as it is a real possibility. It can also remind the reader not to forget about the subject or to wish them well in future endeavors.
Conclusion from the previous example:
As the summer sun departs and a new season burnishes the trees into a beautiful golden hue, it does make a man take stock of all of his blessings and friends who have passed through his life. I hope very much to receive word from you that you have found contentment in this life. May peace and good health be yours.
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Closing
This section of the letter consists of a final sign-off using a courteous left-aligned goodbye followed by a comma and on the next line your first name. If your recipient is someone you have never met in person but you are acquainted by phone or electronically, you may put your last name in parentheses. If you have never corresponded or you feel like there is some reason the recipient may not remember you, you may write your first and last name. Typical sign-offs include Best, Sincerely, Cheers, Regards, Yours, Respectfully, Thanks, Best Wishes, Take Care, Cordially, Yours Truly, Always, Warmly, Love, In Sympathy, With gratitude, and Talk Soon. Consider the closeness of the relationship as to whether you choose more personal sign-offs like Love and Always, among others. Should it be necessary, a postscript of P.S. is acceptable.
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