"&c"

[Bill]

Re: "&c"

Friends:

Enclosed is an excerpt from The New Universal Letter Writer, 1834. This shows, not only the various closing

Prox. in or of the next month after the present; "scheduled for the 6th prox"

Hoping that the foregoing is of interest,

I am, &c,

NJ ************,
Manf'r.
N.Jers'y.


http://www.histcloth.com

As a matter of small interest, the term "Prox." is still commonly used in business today, when discussing payment terms. As an example, if payment is due on the 10th. of the month following the date of invoice, the most common way of discribing these terms in writing or speaking would be "10th. of the month prox."

[KKS]

Re: "&c"

I have also come across period sample letters in "Beadle's Dime Letter-Writer" (I believe--I don't have it here with me), similar to those which have already been mentioned. Is there evidence of actual letters which use "&c" , or is it only a shorthand in letter writing books which people of the time understood to mean they should not literally write out "&c", but instead substitute their own closing phrase?

Kira Sanscrainte

[KKS]

Re: "&c"

My question here is not a matter of whether people always followed the etiquette books' recommendations. The books themselves give myraid examples (as a warning) of people who do not follow them.

I am wondering exactly what the etiquette books are stating in this case. Do they mean that people should literally write "&c" in their letters, or are the books' authors using "&c" as a shorthand for which people were NOT to write "&c", but instead an closing phrase of their choice. Either way, since the books do not specify, presumably a person living in the 1860s would know the intended meaning. Evidence of the use of "&c" in surviving letters may be the only way for people in a different time and culture (us) to understand matters which would have been common assumptions of people in the mid-19th century.

The above 1866 quote, "Be careful and do not use the character &, except in the title of firms; as, Brown & Cox..." seems to be one indication that "&c" was not meant to written out.

Kira Sanscrainte

[ScottMcKay]

Re: "&c"

Revisiting this thread after several months, I would just like to support Jeffrey's post, in that I have read "&c" in many letters, journals, requistions to see in the context, it was used as an "etc".

Similarly, in situations (particularly requistions, casualty lists, muster rolls, &c), when lines were listed with reptetives words, for example:

Sgt. John B. Smith, Co. C, 12th N.C. Infy , wounded
1Cpl. Robt. R. Crozier, Co. F, 6th Ga. Infy, " "
Pvt. Andrew S. Hale, Co. B, 4th Ala. Infy, " "

it would sometimes be done in this fashion:

Sgt. John B. Smith, Co. C, 12th N.C. Infy , wounded
1Cpl. Robt. R. Crozier, Co. F, 6th Ga. Infy, do
Pvt. Andrew S. Hale, Co. B, 4th Ala. Infy, do

I have found both done during the same timeframe and within the same command, so I guess it all had to do with the scriber's education.

[marine05]

Re: "&c"

I have seen that (do) also and for a while was perplexed, but finally figured out it meant ditto. Ditto is a word that has been in use since the 1600s and in the 1860s was used as an adv. meaning as before or aforesaid: in the same manner.

s/f

DJM

[BobSullivanPress]

Re: "&c"

Kira wrote:
"Is there evidence of actual letters which use "&c" , or is it only a shorthand in letter writing books which people of the time understood to mean they should not literally write out "&c", but instead substitute their own closing phrase?"

The answer is yes. Many informal letters I have seen, especially military correspondence, close with "I remain, yours, &c,...."

I don't know if someone writing to a person to whom they had an attachment (husband, wife) would use this term. Someone writing to a brother, cousin, would perhaps use it.

It is difficult to draw generalities about people's habits when referring to specifics. It's almost like asking if "people" could spell well in the 1860s. For every example we could provide that showed correct spelling, we could produce another example of creative spelling. So the answer to the question of spelling would be yes, but would also be no. I think you have to assume your position on the standard bell-curve of literacy and letter-writing style, and work your impression from there.