Letter

For those who are familiar with (sensational) English literature, you may realize Love Letter is not the first story told in a series of letters.

On this aspect, The Sorrows of Young Werther (少年維特的煩惱) of Johann von Goethe was probably the most famous. But, the first one, as far as I know, was Julie, or the New Heloise of Jean Rousseau, published in 1761. (The romantic story of Werther was first published some 12 years later - I have no idea whether von Goethe could read French, or if there was a German translation of Julie.)

The first one that I read, however, was Daddy Long-Legs of Jean Webster. 

PS. I must say I agree with that so-called Mr. John Smith in Webster's novel. In return for his paying of the tuition fee, he asked Jerusha Abbott to write him a letter each month because he strongly believed that letter writing is an important training of a competent person.

Looking at many of the referral letters and consultation notes, we may have to do the same for our medical students.