emotions. I genuinely envy the courtships of long ago, the friendship, the conversation, the commitment, the gallantry…(sigh). Anyway my darlings, I hope the treasured love letters below will inspire you to put pen
to paper.
it would be what I hope you still would Love; tho it contained nothing new; the
early possession you obtained there; and the absolute power you have ever
maintained over it; leaves not the smallest space unoccupied. I look back to
the early days of our acquaintance; and Friendship, as to the days of Love and
Innocence; and with an indescribable pleasure I have seen near a score of years
roll over our Heads, with an affection heightened and improved by time — nor
have the dreary years of absence in the smallest degree effaced from my mind
the Image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my Heart…
From Elizabeth Barrett to Robert Browning (January 10, 1846)
Dear Robert Browning,
…Do you know, when you have told me to think of you, I
have been feeling ashamed of thinking of you so much, of thinking of only
you–which is too much, perhaps. Shall I tell you? It seems to me, to myself,
that no man was ever before to any woman what you are to me–the fullness must
be in proportion, you know, to the vacancy…and only I know what was
behind–the long wilderness without the blossoming rose…and the capacity for
happiness, like a black gaping hole, before this silver flooding. Is it
wonderful that I should stand as in a dream, and disbelieve–not you–but my
own fate?
Was ever any one taken suddenly from a lampless
dungeon and placed upon the pinnacle of a mountain, without the head turning
round and the heart turning faint, as mine do? And you love me more, you say?
Shall I thank you or God? Both, indeed, and there is no possible return from me
to either of you! I thank you as the unworthy may…and as we all thank God. How
shall I ever prove what my heart is to you? How will you ever see it as I feel
it?…
From Franz Kafka to Felice Bauer (November 11, 1912)
Fräulein Felice!
I am now going to ask you a favor which sounds quite crazy, and which I should
regard as such, were I the one to receive the letter. It is also the very
greatest test that even the kindest person could be put to. Well, this is it:
Write to me only once a week, so that your letter arrives on Sunday—for I
cannot endure your daily letters, I am incapable of enduring them. For
instance, I answer one of your letters, then lie in bed in apparent calm, but
my heart beats through my entire body and is conscious only of you. I belong to
you; there is really no other way of expressing it, and that is not strong
enough. But for this very reason I don’t want to know what you are wearing; it
confuses me so much that I cannot deal with life; and that’s why I don’t want
to know that you are fond of me. If I did, how could I, fool that I am, go on
sitting in my office, or here at home, instead of leaping onto a train with my
eyes shut and opening them only when I am with you?…
to Clementine Churchill (January 23, 1945)
darling Clemmie,
… you wrote some words very dear to me, about my having enriched your life. I
cannot tell you what pleasure this gave me, because I always feel so
overwhelmingly in your debt, if there can be accounts in love… What it has
been to me to live all these years in your heart and companionship no phrases
can convey.
Time passes swiftly, but is it not joyous to see how great and growing is the
treasure we have gathered together, amid the storms and stresses of so many
eventful and, to millions, tragic and terrible years?…
With tender love from your devoted,
W.
From Voltaire to Marquise Gabrielle (The Hague 1713)
I am a prisoner here in the name of the King;
they can take my life, but not the love that I feel for you.
Yes, my adorable mistress, to-night I shall see you, if I had to put my head on
the block to do it.
For heaven’s sake, do not speak to me in such disastrous terms as you write;
you must live and be cautious; beware of Madame your mother as of your worst
enemy.
What do I say?
Beware of everybody; trust no one; keep yourself in readiness, as soon as the
moon is visible; I shall leave the hotel incognito, take a carriage or a
chaise, we shall drive like the wind to Sheveningen; I shall take paper and ink
with me; we shall write our letters.
If you love me, reassure yourself; and call all your strength and presence of
mind to your aid; do not let your mother notice anything, try to have your
pictures, and be assured that the menace of the greatest tortures will not
prevent me to serve you.
No, nothing has the power to part me from you; our love is based upon virtue,
and will last as long as our lives.
Adieu, there is nothing that I will not brave for your sake; you deserve much
more than that.
Adieu, my dear heart!
Arout
(Voltaire)
favorite (the last three lines were uttered by Mr. Big on the first Sex and the City movie).
(Good morning, on July 7)
thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly,
waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us – I can live only wholly with
you or not at all – Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I
can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my
soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits – Yes, unhappily it must be so –
You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else
can ever possess my heart – never – never – Oh God, why must one be parted from
one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life – Your love
makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men – At my age I need a
steady, quiet life – can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been
told that the mailcoach goes every day – therefore I must close at once so that
you may receive the letter at once – Be calm, only by a calm consideration of
our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together – Be calm – love me –
today – yesterday – what tearful longings for you – you – you – my life – my
all – farewell. Oh continue to love me – never misjudge the most faithful heart
of your beloved.
ever mine
ever ours
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