Examine these letters to the editor of the New England Courant from Benjamin Franklin from 1722-1726 and learn how letters to the editor have been around for quite awhile.

Silence Dogood Letters
_Silence Dogood, No. 1_

_To the Author of the_ New-England Courant.

_Sir,_
It may not be improper in the first Place to inform your Readers, that I intend once a Fortnight to present them, by the Help of this Paper, with a short Epistle, which I presume will add somewhat to their Entertainment.

And since it is observed, that the Generality of People, now a days, are unwilling either to commend or dispraise what they read, until they are in some measure informed who or what the Author of it is, whether he be _poor_ or _rich_, _old_ or _young_, a _Schollar_ or a _Leather Apron Man_, &c. and give their Opinion of the Performance, according to the Knowledge which they have of the Author's Circumstances, it may not be amiss to begin with a short Account of my past Life and present Condition, that the Reader may not be at a Loss to judge whether or no my Lucubrations are worth his reading.

Other Correspondants
_The New-England Courant_, October 8, 1722 _Hugo Grim on Silence Dogood_

Mr. _Couranto_, Since Mrs. DOGOOD has kept SILENCE for so long a Time, you have no doubt lost a very valuable Correspondent, and the Publick been depriv'd of many profitable Amusements, for which reason I desire you to convey the following Lines to Her, that so if she be in the Land of the Living we may know the Occasion of her _Silence._

Mrs. _Dogood._ I greatly wonder why you have so soon done exercising your Gifts, and _hid your Talent in a Napkin._ You told us at first that you intended to favour the Publick with a Speculation _once a Fortnight_, but how comes it to pass that you have laid aside so _Good_ a Design? Why have you so soon _withdrawn your Hand from the Plough_ (with which you tax'd some of the Scholars) and grown weary of _Doing Good_?

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