Quote by Elizabeth Drew
How frail and ephemeral is the material substance of letters, which makes their very survival so hazardous. Print has a permanence of its own, though it may not be much worth preserving, but a letter! Conveyed by uncertain transportation, over which the sender has no control; committed to a single individual who may be careless or inappreciative; left to the mercy of future generations, of families maybe anxious to suppress the past, of the accidents of removals and house-cleanings, or of mere ignorance. How often it has been by the veriest chance that they have survived at all.
Summary
This quote highlights the vulnerability and precariousness of letters as compared to printed material. It emphasizes how the physical nature and delicate transportation of letters make their survival uncertain. Unlike prints, which have a certain permanence, letters are subject to the whims of unreliable carriers, careless recipients, and the passage of time. They are at the mercy of future generations who may not value or preserve them, or even actively seek to erase them. The quote reflects on the rarity of letters surviving through chance or luck.
Topics
Letters (writing)
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