In presenting this work to the public, it is my firm belief that it will be found of inestimable value. On May 15th, 1911, Mr. Hugh Chalmers wrote me: “There is no question but what there is need in this country for a book on successful Sales Letters or successful Business Letters.”

The material for this book is taken directly from my files, and hence reports actualities. It is not merely a retrospective of theories. I have been paid a price for each letter in this book, and have only (in most cases) substituted fictitious firm names so that my clients will not be flooded with inquiries. The originals of any and all of these letters are on file at my office. The aggregate fees for the work here reproduced total many many times the selling price of the book.

I was led to believe that my method of instruction here followed would be the most forceful possible when it was explained to me how they teach Law at Harvard—by what they term the “Case System.” That is, the students simply study the reports of actual cases, and from these develop their theories of the law. I have, however, in addition to the specimen letters, given the theory of successful letter writing quite exhaustively, even explaining before each specimen letter the principles involved, so that you have pointed out to you the “meat” you are expected to find in the samples submitted.