De conscribendis epistolis
On the Writing of Letters (
Background
In 1533, Vives wrote De conscribendis epistolis for
The current authority on De conscribendis epistolis, Charles Fantazzi traces this epistolary renaissance to the rediscovery of Cicero’s letters to Atticus, Quintus Cicero, and Brutus. In 1345, these letters were found by Petrarch in the Chapter Library of Verona.[3] Vives frequently cites Cicero as a prime example of a writer who tailored his letters according to the epistolary occasion.
Synopsis
Vives begins by telling “Señor Idiáquez” to always consider the rhetorical situation for the letter, primarily evaluating the relationship of the writer to the recipient. The reason is that, as Saint Ambrose told Sabinus, "In a letter the image of the living presence emits its glow between persons distant from each other, and conversation committed to writing unites those who are separated from each other."[4]
Thus, it is not a speech delivered by an orator in a crowded assembly. Rather, it is a conversation. Vives then gives a history lesson on the letter in an attempt to show that the best letter writers of antiquity understood this conversational aspect of the letter.
Vives states that the
To a prosperous, haughty person the letter must be more respectful, but without flattery; to one who is stern and disagreeable, use a more mild and reserved style, to one who is unsophisticated or dull-witted, a more lucid style is called for; to a clever person, the style must be more studied and ornate, if he takes pleasure in that and regards it as an expression of respect …[5]
Vives also gives instructions on how to vary the letter's style according to genre. He covers letters of petition, instruction, congratulations, consolation, incentive, and shared interests.[6] “We may write on every subject,” says Vives, but he focuses his attention on the most popular epistolary genres. Following the pattern Vives sets out in his discussion of the exordium, the bulk of De conscribendis epistolis covers the components of the letter and considerations for composition such as diction and addresses on superscriptions. Throughout this how-to section of the treatise, Vives offers examples and templates, which are “suitable for our use” in the 1530s, as he puts it.
Notes
- ^ Fantazzi, Charles (2002). "Vives Versus Erasmus on the Art of Letter Writing". In Toon van Houdt; et al. (eds.). Self-presentation and Social Identification: The Rhetoric and Pragmatics of Letter Writing in Early Modern Times (2000 ed.). Leuven, Belgium: Leuven. pp. 39–56.
- ^ Vives, Juan Luis (1989). Charles Fantazzi (ed.). De conscribendis epistolis. New York: E.J. Brill. p. 33.
- ^ Fantazzi, Charles, ed. (1989). "Introduction". De Conscribendis Epistolis. New York: E.J.Brill. p. 5.
- ^ Vives. p. 23.
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