The correct syntax for “I/We remain” at the end of the letter

Question

I want to sign off a letter with the following:

Letter text.

We remain,

Sincerely yours,

Mr Person
Head of Accounting

Is this correct usage? Isn’t this like having 2 salutations? Is it ok to have 2 salutations?

Answer 1

Some expressions with "We remain" at the end of the sentence :

1. Hoping to receive the goods without delay, I am,

   Respectfully,

   WILLIAM L. MILLER.

2. Hoping that my order may receive your usual prompt attention, I am,

   Yours respectfully,

   HENRY M. BARROWS.

3. Hoping that the goods may prove satisfactory, and that we may be favored with further orders, we remain,

   Yours truly,

   SIBLEY, DUDLEY & CO.

4. Thanking you for your promptness in filling my order, I am,

   Yours respectfully,

   HENRY GOODFELLOW.

5. Awaiting further favors, we are,

   Very truly yours,

   DODGE, HOLMES & CO.

Answer 2

Use “we remain” in a participial closing¹. It provides the object (we) of the preceding participial phrase.

Here is an example of correct usage. I have added a sample participial phrase, and removed the comma after “remain”.

   Letter text.  

   Hoping this banal participial closing causes no offense, we remain

   Sincerely yours,

   Mr Person
   Head of Accounting

All authorities advise against the participial closing, but not on grammatical grounds. It is deprecated only because it weakens the letter.

References

1. Commercial Correspondence, p. 112ff

Answer 3

The forms shown above are traditional forms and are still perfectly acceptable. Modern casual and business forms are more succinct: the opening salutation and the closing valediction are brief, formulaic, and entirely independent of the sentences in the body text, each of which is complete in itself:

Dear Mr. Smith:

The firm that I represent has paid you the agreed sum foe the delivery of the materials itemized on the attached invoice. The firm has not yet received the expected supplies. Please see that the goods are delivered immediately.

Sincerely,

John Doe

That said, the more traditional form has a certain elegance and if it is not overdone won't come across as particularly strange.

In a personal letter, the greeting might vary more, and ends in a comma rather than a colon. Additionally, valedictions other than "sincerely" are more common in personal writing. The initial word of each paragraph is indented in personal letters. I expect, depending on the audience, the more prosy traditional form might be more appreciated in a personal letter.

In a business letter, the above form is normal and expected. Anything else will produce neutral results at best. The form is to start Dear So-and-so: and to close Sincerely, XYZ. The paragraphs are separated by spaces but are not indented.