Willemijn Ruberg is Assistant Professor in Cultural History at Utrecht University. Her research and teaching interests include the history of autobiographical writing, gender, emotion, sexuality and the body in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

• List of FiguresIntroduction1. Epistolary TheoryIntroductionEtiquette books and letter-writing manuals as a source Epistolary theoryEpistolary theory in practiceFamous letter-writers as a modelConclusion2. Everyday correspondenceIntroductionWriting materials and a place to writePost LanguagesSalutation, signature and postscript‘Le stile c’est l’homme’ – styleThemes and taboosReceiving a letter Conclusion3. Children’s lettersIntroductionLearning to write letters Confidentiality, naturalness and individuality Character buildingConclusion4. Adolescents’ lettersIntroductionFrom schoolboy to studentAdolescents’ letters and genderEngagement Conclusion5. Ceremonial correspondenceIntroductionMeans of communication and customsThe content of ceremonial lettersThe function of ceremonial correspondenceCult of sincerityConclusionConclusion AppendicesBibliography Index

Willemijn Ruberg is Assistant Professor in Cultural History at Utrecht University. Her research and teaching interests include the history of autobiographical writing, gender, emotion, sexuality and the body in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

• List of FiguresIntroduction1. Epistolary TheoryIntroductionEtiquette books and letter-writing manuals as a source Epistolary theoryEpistolary theory in practiceFamous letter-writers as a modelConclusion2. Everyday correspondenceIntroductionWriting materials and a place to writePost LanguagesSalutation, signature and postscript‘Le stile c’est l’homme’ – styleThemes and taboosReceiving a letter Conclusion3. Children’s lettersIntroductionLearning to write letters Confidentiality, naturalness and individuality Character buildingConclusion4. Adolescents’ lettersIntroductionFrom schoolboy to studentAdolescents’ letters and genderEngagement Conclusion5. Ceremonial correspondenceIntroductionMeans of communication and customsThe content of ceremonial lettersThe function of ceremonial correspondenceCult of sincerityConclusionConclusion AppendicesBibliography Index

Willemijn Ruberg is Assistant Professor in Cultural History at Utrecht University. Her research and teaching interests include the history of autobiographical writing, gender, emotion, sexuality and the body in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

• List of FiguresIntroduction1. Epistolary TheoryIntroductionEtiquette books and letter-writing manuals as a source Epistolary theoryEpistolary theory in practiceFamous letter-writers as a modelConclusion2. Everyday correspondenceIntroductionWriting materials and a place to writePost LanguagesSalutation, signature and postscript‘Le stile c’est l’homme’ – styleThemes and taboosReceiving a letter Conclusion3. Children’s lettersIntroductionLearning to write letters Confidentiality, naturalness and individuality Character buildingConclusion4. Adolescents’ lettersIntroductionFrom schoolboy to studentAdolescents’ letters and genderEngagement Conclusion5. Ceremonial correspondenceIntroductionMeans of communication and customsThe content of ceremonial lettersThe function of ceremonial correspondenceCult of sincerityConclusionConclusion AppendicesBibliography Index