For email: Charming closing lines from 18th century correspondence

In the olden days, when people wrote letters, they used to have beautiful closing lines declaring them to be the recipient's "most humble servant", &c.

Here are all the closing lines from the letters in James Boswell's famous biography of Samuel Johnson. Use them to add a flourish to your emails and other correspondence!


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; for all comfort and all satisfaction is sincerely wished you by, dear Sir, your most obliged, most obedient, and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

, my Lord, your Lordship's most humble, most obedient servant,
'SAM JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

: and hope to have long the pleasure of being, dear Sir, most affectionately your's,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

will very much gratify the ambition of, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most obliged, and most humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON.'

; however, I am always pleased when I find that you, dear Sir, remember, your affectionate, humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, my dear Sir, affectionately yours,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Madam, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

or some other place nearer to, Sir, your most affectionate humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, most affectionately your's,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, yours affectionately,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, your's affectionately,
SAM. JOHNSON.'

'Be pleased, therefore, to accept the thanks of, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.

I am, dear Sir, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

, for no one will rejoice at it more than, dear Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'My compliments to your lady.'
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, your affectionate, humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

and therefore, it is little to say, that I am, Sir, your affectionate humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, your affectionate humble, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Madam, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

'I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

, and you must now consider me, as, dear Madam, your most obliged, and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, your affectionate servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, &c.,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate, and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, yours affectionately,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, dear Sir, your obliged and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

; and do not think it too much to give an account of your recovery to, Madam, yours, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

: and that more enjoyment of your elegance, your intelligence, and your benevolence, is still reserved for, dear Sir, your most affectionate, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, sincerely yours,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, &c.
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

Do not neglect, dear Sir, yours affectionately,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, my dear, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obliged, most grateful, and most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I will visit Bromley once again, and pay you part of the respect to which you have a right from, Reverend Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'