”Letters are a substitute for a conversation. They anticipate an answer, and… maintain an apparent realism and seek to minimise the sense of geographical separation between writer and addressee”
Powell- informal vs formal
”in one sense there is no more essentially written medium than a letter… On the other hand, casual correspondence can appear to be virtually a transcription of spoken language”
takes lots of skill to achieve a natural sounding style in letter writing
Beard - Cicero’s letters
”Tend To exaggerate the impression of confusion and political breakdown”
Beard
”The overwhelming quantity of material from Cicero’s pen can make it hard to see beyond his perspectives and prejudices”
