Letter writing is a dying art...

Virginia Woolf eloquently called it “the humane art, which owes its origins to the love of friends”, yet letter writing is a dying art, with most people preferring the instant exchange of email and social media.

Interesting facts...

• The earliest means of writing involving pen and paper was developed by the Greeks. 
• In ancient times, pen was made from sharpened wood, metal or bone. 
• A reed dipped in India/China ink, made from cuttlefish secretion was used on papyrus and parchment.
• 5th Century saw the use of goose quills in Saxon England.
• Lead pencils were used by the ancient Greeks but only as a temporary marker, to be rubbed out later.
• It wasn't until the 14th Century that lead pencils became popular and commonly used.
• Cotton paper came from the far East around the 10th Century and became common by the 12 Century.
• Paper made from linen rags was introduced in the 14th Century.
• The Greeks used athlete runners to deliver their letters, where as the Arabs used pigeons. 
• In 1840, the first prepaid stamp nationwide postal delivery service was introduced by Great Britain. 
• Originally, post fees were paid by the receiver and not the sender.
• In 1860, the post office was invented and then it really took off...

It's amazingly astounding that it took centuries to move from the first chippings on a wall to writing onto a piece of paper, however since 1860, the advances of technology have almost made this art form extinct in less than 160 years! Now instead of enjoying the anticipation and joy of a warm, heart felt letter, communications are instant, less personal and more likely to be a 'like' on your facebook. How the convenience of a button has replaced real communication.