+104.  Notes.+—­Notes may be divided in a general way into two classes, formal and informal.  Formal notes include formal invitations, replies, requests, and announcements.  Informal notes include informal invitations and replies, and also other short communications of a personal nature on almost every possible subject.

+105.  Formal Notes.+—­A formal invitation is always written in the third person.  The lines may be of the same length, or they may be so arranged that the lines shall be of different lengths, thus giving the page a somewhat more pleasing appearance.  The heading, salutation, complimentary close, and signature are all omitted.  The address of the sender may be written below the body of the letter.  Many prefer it a little to the left, and the date is sometimes written below it.  Others, however, prefer it directly below or a little to the right.

Replies to formal invitations should always be written in the third person, and should in general follow the style of the invitation.  The date and the hour of the invitation should be repeated in the reply, and this reply should be sent immediately after receiving the invitation.

A few examples are here given to show the correct forms of both invitations and replies:—­

(1)
______________________________________________________
|                                                      |
|       Mr. and Mrs. Frederick William Thompson        |
|        request the pleasure of your company          |
|        on Monday evening, December thirtieth,        |
|             at half-past eight o’clock.              |
|                                                      |

(2)
______________________________________________________
|                                                      |
|      Miss Barrows accepts with pleasure Mr. and      |
|    Mrs. Thompson’s invitation for Monday evening,    |
|    December thirtieth, at half-past eight o’clock.   |
|                                                      |

(3)
______________________________________________________
|                                                      |
|    Mr. Morris regrets that a previous engagement     |
|   prevents his accepting Mr. and Mrs. Thompson’s     |
|   kind invitation for Monday evening, December       |
|   the thirtieth.                                     |
|                                                      |

(4)
______________________________________________________
|                                                      |
|    Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Elliott request the        |
|    pleasure of Mr. John Barker’s company at dinner   |
|    on Wednesday, December sixth, at seven o’clock.   |
|                                                      |
|    1068 Euclid Ave.                                  |
|                                                      |

(5)
______________________________________________________
|                                                      |
|    Mr. Barker regrets his inability to accept        |
|    Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Elliott’s invitation to    |
|    dinner at seven o’clock, Wednesday, December      |
|    sixth.                                            |
|                                                      |

EXERCISE