People
If any man will draw up his case, and put his name at the foot of the first page, I will give him an immediate reply. Where he compels me to turn over the sheet, he must wait my leisure.
— John Montagu
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker offers a quick answer to a short request and a delayed answer to a long one. Even turning a page counts as an imposition. The rule rewards people who get to the point, making the reader's time the main measure of a useful letter.
Context reviewed