你上一次收到一封白紙黑字的信，是甚麼時候？
自從有電郵以來，收到的的真正的信越來越少。電郵方便是方便了，一點擊即到，還可以給指定的一堆人，回覆又快，但是像以前收了信，坐下來慢慢看的快樂就沒有了。
寫信的文字，也越來越隨便，不會精心構思，文法和拼字都馬馬虎虎，連帶那些求職信也不例外。那些求職的大學生，連參考一下那些Templates(範本)也懶得做。我以前做報紙老編，就收過一封毛遂自薦，尋求在文字傳媒工作機會的信，抬頭不是Dear Editor或Dear Sir, 你猜是甚麼？
" Hi Guys " ！
落在我的手上，不用說是馬上歸檔，NFA ( No further action)了。
用手寫的信，還是用精美信箋，墨水筆寫的，相信受信人大為感動，各位假如要寫情書，務必考慮考慮，一定威力大增。
60年代，大陸民不聊生，鄉間親戚寫信給香港的親人要求接濟的很常有。我姑母的兒子在鄉下，字裡行間很明顯的見到他心存怨憤我姑丈母，沒有帶他到香港，使他捱餓受鬥。他沒有讀過幾年書，我姑丈母又是文盲，來信都拿來給我讀給他們聽。我印象最深的，是我這個文化水平不算高的表哥，寫起信時白字難免，但是抬頭一定似模似樣，是「父母親大人膝下尊前」。
這倒要追溯以前讀小學都有「尺牘」這一門課，學童好歹也被老師逼著，背誦好幾篇入了腦，永誌不忘。
「尺牘」 就是古人對書信的稱呼，尺牘課本就是一堆虛擬的信件，就著不同的目的而寫，例如問候長輩、向友人述近況、求借物件、求職、委託、追債等等。著作者大概是是老師宿儒，文謅謅的，用很多成語和典故；讀得多，對寫作大有幫助。
我手上有一本家父70年前讀卜卜齋的線裝尺讀課本，當年不過是三尺童子的啟蒙書，現在恐怕大學中文系的畢業生，也未必能夠全部理解。這是其中兩頁：
古人書信來往，要託人代為傳遞， 很不容易，所以寫信就有如寫文章一樣的認真。名家信札，可以作為文學來欣賞。近代最出名的，有曾國藩和鄭板橋的家書；坊間流行給學子研讀仿傚的，還有「雪鴻軒尺牘」和「秋水軒尺牘」等書，我節錄後者其中一段，給大家看看：
一枝甫寄，雙鯉頻頒。正切停雲，捧朵雲而心慰；欣聯今雨，同舊雨之情殷。適來二字平安，喜葉金閨之卜；何異萬金鄭重，敢遲竹報之投？且也雅什如珠， 香艷遠超班宋；高情似水，色空悟徹邯鄲。雖細雨清明，紅杏少村家之釀；而春風寒食，黃粱成客子之吟。此又達士曠懷，抑亦雅人深致。勉酬郢曲，乞運宋斤。應知哲匠之旁觀，難免小巫之氣盡。
至於淒涼客邸，原同寂寞禪關。如先生之百里而遙，尚慶團圓於歲序；若賤子之十年不返，空憐飄泊於天涯。所以王粲依人，登樓有感；縱使孟嘗愛客，彈鋏仍歌。然綠泛蓉池，庾景行之芳聲獨茂；青開蓮榻，徐孺子之高躅可風。況我未齋先生，品重琳瑯，才工月露，仰而企之，已非一日；樹而立者，誠足千秋。主善爲師，宜在立雪坐風之侶；予生也晚，敢附乘車戴笠之盟？
弟讀書讀律，竊愧無成；自東自西，徒勞何補。倚閭有白頭之老，誰修定省於晨昏；爭梨失黃口之兒，空聽笑啼於夢寐。加以陌頭柳色，絲絲牽少婦之愁；因而枝上鵑聲，夜夜起王孫之感。無如一囊秋水，顧影生寒；徒使萬縷春雲，登高雪涕。爰思完聚，極意經營，憑寄南金，冀共鹿車之輓；迎來北轍，用伸烏哺之私。 計惟紅褪荷衣，劍當再合；遲則黃飄桂子，鏡見重圓。然而燕壘新營，已竭噙泥之苦；倘更鷯枝失寄，何堪無米之炊。情固出於權宜，事實嗤其孟浪。先生載將佳麗，久爲泛宅之遊；同此琴書，別有治生之樂。幸指迷之有自，知前事之可師。乞予良箴，不我遐棄。
以前的英語世界，一樣注重書信，20世紀初美國小說家Edith Wharton寫的 The Age of Innocence(拍過同名電影，Martin Scorcese導演，Michelle Pfeiffer和 Daniel Day-Lewis合演，香港譯名「心外幽情」)，其中有多段是男女派僕人傳送情書的內容。
我最喜歡提到的，是詩人Robert Browning冒昧投書給老小姐詩人Elizabeth Barrett，開始熱烈追求，卒之娶她為妻(前文：英國文學史上最甜美的真實愛情故事)：
I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett, – and this is no off-hand complimentary letter that I shall write, – whatever else, no prompt matter-of-course recognition of your genius and there a graceful and natural end of the thing: since the day last week when I first read your poems, I quite laugh to remember how I have been turning and turning again in my mind what I should be able to tell you of their effect upon me – for in the first flush of delight I thought I would this once get out of my habit of purely passive enjoyment, when I do really enjoy, and thoroughly justify my admiration – perhaps even, as a loyal fellow craftsman should, try and find fault and do you some little good to be proud of hereafter! – but nothing comes of it all – so into me has it gone, and part of me has it become, this great living poetry of your, not a flower of which but took root and grew … oh, how different that is from lying to be dried and pressed flat and prized highly and put in a book with a proper account at top and bottom, and shut up and put away… and the book called a ‘Flora’, besides!
After all, I need not give up the thought of doing that, too, in time; because even now, talking with whoever is worthy, I can give a reason for my faith in one and another excellence, the fresh strange music, the affluent language, the exquisite pathos and true new brave thought – but in this addressing myself to you, your own self, and for the first time, my feeling rises altogether.
I do, as I say, love these Books with all my heart – and I love you too; do you know I was once not very far from seeing – really seeing you? Mr. Kenyon said to me one morning “would you like to see Miss Barrett?” – then he went to announce me, – then he returned … you were too unwell – and now it is years ago – and I feel as at some untoward passage in my travels – as if I had been close, so close, to some world’s-wonder in chapel or crypt, … only a screen to push and I might have entered – but there was some slight… so it now seems… slight and just-sufficient bar to admission, and the half-opened door shut, and I went home my thousands of miles, and the sight was never to be!
Well, these Poems were to be – and this true thankful joy and pride with which I feel myself.
Yours ever faithfully
Robert Browning
他們的情書也結集成書，讓後人欣賞。
(文章允許轉貼，請具作者名字：梁煥松)
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感謝 子貓物語 提供以上資料
子貓物語的網誌: http://chrisleung1954.blogspot.hk/
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