We already know that anonymous letters are despicable. In etiquette, as well as in law, hiring a hit man to do the job does not relieve you of responsibility.

In the column Judith Martin answers etiquette questions contributed by her readers and writes short essays on problems of manners or clarifies the essential qualities of politeness.

Judith Martin (née Perlman born September 13 1938) better known by the pen name Miss Manners is an American journalist author and etiquette authority.