The close of a business letter should be “Yours truly,” or “Yours very truly.”  “Respectfully” is used only by a tradesman to a customer, an employee to an employer, or by an inferior, never by a person of equal position.  No lady should ever sign a letter “respectfully,” not even were she writing to a queen.  If an American lady should have occasion to write to a queen, she should conclude her letter “I have the honor to remain, Madam, your most obedient.” (For address and close of letters to persons of title, see table at the end of this chapter.)

=CLOSE OF PERSONAL NOTES AND LETTERS=

It is too bad that the English language does not permit the charming and graceful closing of all letters in the French manner, those little flowers of compliment that leave such a pleasant fragrance after reading.  But ever since the Eighteenth Century the English-speaking have been busy pruning away all ornament of expression; even the last remaining graces, “kindest regards,” “with kindest remembrances,” are fast disappearing, leaving us nothing but an abrupt “Yours truly,” or “Sincerely yours.”

Closing a Formal Note

The best ending to a formal social note is, “Sincerely,” “Sincerely yours,” “Very sincerely,” “Very sincerely yours,” “Yours always sincerely,” or “Always sincerely yours.”

“I remain, dear madam,” is no longer in use, but “Believe me” is still correct when formality is to be expressed in the close of a note.

    Believe me
    Very sincerely yours,

or

    Believe me, my dear Mrs. Worldly,
    Most sincerely yours,

This last is an English form, but it is used by quite a number of Americans—­particularly those who have been much abroad.

Appropriate for a Man

“Faithfully” or “Faithfully yours” is a very good signature for a man in writing to a woman, or in any uncommercial correspondence, such as a letter to the President of the United States, a member of the Cabinet, an Ambassador, a clergyman, etc.

The Intimate Closing

“Affectionately yours,” “Always affectionately,” “Affectionately,” “Devotedly,” “Lovingly,” “Your loving” are in increasing scale of intimacy.

“Lovingly” is much more intimate than “Affectionately” and so is “Devotedly.”

“Sincerely” in formal notes and “Affectionately” in intimate notes are the two adverbs most used in the present day, and between these two there is a blank; in English we have no expression to fit sentiment more friendly than the first nor one less intimate than the second.

Not Good Form

“Cordially” was coined no doubt to fill this need, but its self-consciousness puts it in the category with “residence” and “retire,” and all the other offenses of pretentiousness, and in New York, at least, it is not used by people of taste.

“Warmly yours” is unspeakable.