The article compares the indicated formulas used in personal letters in times when other indirect forms of written dialogue were not known with the formulas used in modern personal electronics letters. The aim of the paper is to answer the question what pragmalinguistic changes (except for formal linguistic) occurred in relation between the sender and the addressee of the letter. To what extent have epistolary conventions changed and how it is related to the evolution of politeness customs. Among the changes of customs I would like to emphasize the forms of distance and community created by the correspondents.