Valedictions III: Historic Letter Closings

This is the third post in a three part guest series by PNT.

To close out the three part series on letter closings, I thought it would be fun to dig up some examples of historic letter closings. While most of these valedictions aren’t striking in their originality, it’s interesting to see how letter closings taken as a whole reflect the spirit of the letters.


Einstein to Roosevelt, 1939 – “Very truly yours”
The letter that launched the arms race, Einstein's first letter is a warning to President Roosevelt of the possibility of constructing "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" with hints that the German government might be doing just that. Writing in the gravest of times on the weightiest of matters, one wonders if the scientist’s closing is a mere formality or if it is intended to sincerely express his dedication to the cause during the dark times he foresaw soon ahead.

Click the above text image for the link to download Jane Austen font.

Jane Austen - "Very affectionately yours"
Pride and Prejudice may have begun life as an epistolary novel, and the book retains many full length letters. Outside the whirlwind of her novels, Miss Austen was a prolific letter writer in her own life. Writing mostly to family and friends she was effusively affectionate and what her letter closings lacked in originality they made up for in endearing candor.

Very affectionately yours,

Yours ever,

Yours,

Civil War Love Letters – “Your own loving and devoted”
In contrast to the above three categories, the Civil War love letters are striking in their variety. Soldiers highly educated and barely literate, writing to wives, girlfriends, even to “Miss Lonelyhearts” ads in a newspaper they picked up along the way. 


As ever your devoted and loving Husband,

Excusebad riting,

Yours affectionately,

yr own loving + devoted,

I am ever yours, Sincerely, [Like good tea and fine scotch, closings blend too. ~ed.]


Lewis Carrol - "A shade more friendly"

Concluding his short essay “Eight or Nine Wise Words about Letter Writing “, Mr. Dodgson advises “If doubtful whether to end with “yours faithfully”, or “yours truly”, or “your most truly”, (there are at least a dozen varieties, before you reach “yours affectionately”), refer to your correspondent’s last letter, and make your winding-up at least as friendly as his: in fact, even if a shade more friendly, it will do no harm!”



Emily Post – “Personal hyphen”

Impeccably reasoned, as always, Mrs. Post provides advice for both types of letters. “An intimate letter”, she says “has no end at all. When you leave the house of a member of your family, you don’t have to think up an especial sentence in order to say good-by. Leave-taking in a letter is the same.”



"The close of a less intimate letter, like taking leave of a visitor in your drawing-room, is necessarily more ceremonious. And the ‘ceremonious close’ presents to most people the greatest difficulty in letter-writing." While she doesn’t provide the sort of short-phrase examples that would fit here, she does explain that almost anything will do that provides the necessary “personal hyphen between the person writing and the person written to.”

Finally, rather than prattling to a summation, I it seems appropriate to leave you with one of my favorite valedictions. So, until next time, I remain

Your most humble and obedient servant,

PNT

PNT is a full time law student, part time gentleman adventurer, and inveterate logophile who currently hangs his hat in Washington, D.C.

Valedictions II: Five Ways to Leave Your Letter

This is the second post in a three part guest series by PNT.
Last Sunday, I ruminated on the beauty of a well-chosen valediction. Sure, email obviates the need for a signature, and many workaday emails don't benefit from cleverness. But when writing goes beyond mere communication and becomes correspondence, a little more flourish is appropriate. The challenge is to take a few extra moments, play with ideas, and see if you can't surprise yourself and you reader with something clever. Here are five ideas to get you started:

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The Formal Closing

When doing the professional thing, I find that “Sincerely,” is workable, but, if read literally, could be too touchy feely, particularly when you’re cold calling. “Cordially” is a another accepted standby. While its denotation feels a bit cold, it’s become as standard as a black suit and just as safe. Sometimes “Thank you” can feel like a way out of a closing, but to me that can feel informal, even presumptuous. What you really want is something that conveys an unambiguously positive and acceptable sentiment. How about respect? I find that “Respectfully” is very appropriate, and helps get out of the rut.

The pledge:
It’s not often that we get the opportunity to be dramatic, so we should seize it when it comes. The pledge asserts common bonds, background, or endeavor between reader and writer. PostMuse saw this one coming last week.
In fraternity,
In solidarity,
Yours in struggle, (Title of a book on the feminist perspective on racism and anti-Semitism)
Yours in Christ, (Common priest's valediction)
Yours in service, (Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America traditional valediction)
Yours in friendship,

~ (“The Squiggle”)
The squiggle is a useful non-answer with a tendency to be abused. Found just before the perpetrator’s name, it’s a denotation-free anchor to keep the signature from floating around in the blank space at the bottom of the page. The squiggle is the equivalent of telling reporters "no comment." While suboptimal, it can get you out of a jam.

The unfinished sentence:
For a touch of drama, construct the last sentence so that your signature ends the letter. I appreciate the approach used by Miss Margaret Hukill Taylor in her letter to her Goucher college former classmates in 1921:

“...We like a certain class of tramps, so you will find a warm welcome from

Margaret Hukill Taylor”

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The verbal flourish:
Rapidly becoming my favorite, another way to close is with a clever or inspiring quasi-non-sequitor that relates to the context. Discussing paintball plans with my brother ended with "Lock and load," and an email submitting a manuscript at 4:15 am ended with "Daylight come and me wanna go home,". It needn't really be related in topic, only in tone. To me, done right, the reader of the verbal flourish will hear the writers voice in their head. Letterclosings.com actually has a whole mess of letter closings (really?!), and many of them under "With a Twist" (informal but SFW) and "On the Edgy Side" (would make nuns blush) fall into this category. My letter submitting this to Everyday Correspondence--after long delay--ended "Not dead yet, feels happy, and doesn't want to go onto the cart,". Some ideas:
Alive and kicking,
Asking that you treat me no differently than the Queen,
Exit stage right,
May the wombat of happiness snuffle through your underbrush, (Ancient Aboriginal blessing)
May you live in interesting times, (Chinese curse)
Never surrender,
Strength and honor, (From Gladiator; respond with "Courage and Wisdom,")
Straight, no chaser,

Next week, Part III: Historic Valedictions; Letter closings from those who know best and those who should know better.

PNT is a full time law student, part time gentleman adventurer, and inveterate logophile who currently hangs his hat in Washington, D.C.

Valedictions

This is the first post in a three part guest series by PNT.

Letter closings are a not inconsequential part of writing a letter, but there’s a temptation to get stuck in a rut. Particularly in the workaday world of email, when one tends to fire off emails in salvos, a meaningful closing can be a distraction. The body of the letter is short and declarative; sudden poetry right at the end can cause the reader to hiccup right as he’s mentally preparing for takeoff. Thus, writers have a tendency to find something serviceable and unassuming and stick with it. For me, it’s “Cheers”. It’s pleasant, slightly Anglic and faintly cavalier. I like it, and for most things I write, it does just fine. One-size-fits-all closings can miss an opportunity, though.

The closing -- commonly called the "valediction," as the counterpart to the salutation -- tells the reader in what spirit the missive was written. Particularly in letters, where the handwriting and the signature have distinct personality, the last word should, too. One wouldn’t write “Yours Truly,” at the end of a credit card offer, any more than a distant love would be content with sending his “Cordial regards,”. A good closing will echo and reinforce the theme of the letter, stated or not. It can add a bit of drama or a last punchline. My challenge to myself, and to you, if you wish to play along, is to not miss the opportunity. Take a moment, play around with words, and see if you can't surprise your reader with something pleasant, clever, and unexpected.

Next Sunday, Part II: 5 Types of Valedictions to Expand Your Repertories.

PNT is a full time law student, part time gentleman adventurer, and inveterate logophile who currently hangs his hat in Washington, D.C.