Love Letters of the Great

It appears from the surviving letters of the great that they wrote their letters in the same manner in which we write them today. And no wonder — for yesterday they collided with the very obstacles we collide with today: unsteadiness of feeling, and perplexity in the choice of style.

In my view there is no law for the writing of love letters except that they must be easy to read. A famous jurist treated this subject and said: "Write nothing you would refuse to have read aloud in a courtroom." And another said: "Entrust to paper no sentiment you would be ashamed to have attributed to you ten years hence."

And here, dear reader, is a translation of some of these famous historic letters.

From Thomas Betson, in the year 1476,
to his fiancée, aged 13

To my cousin Katherine, beloved of my heart:

"I offer you my very self, and pour out at your two little feet all the feelings that stir in my heart. I charge you to take your food with a good appetite, that your growth may quicken and you may become a woman. Give my greetings to my horse, and beg of him, on my behalf, four years of his age, so that when I return, I may give them back to him out of my own.

I have great confidence that you pray for my sake, as I pray for you alone... May the good Jesus make you a virtuous woman, and grant you a long life crowned by virtue and adorned by health and well-being..."

And from Charles II, King of Spain, in the year 1680,
to his wife — sent to her in a golden box

"Señora... The wind is stormy, and I have hunted six wolves."

And from Lord Nelson, in the year 1771,
to his lawful wife:

"There is no pleasure surpassing that of writing to you, save my pleasure on receiving your letters. My feeble heart is powerless to express what moves me when my eye falls upon what I trust are the writings of your heart.

Where is happiness in being parted from you? You are to me all that exists, and without you I have no desire for life. And I have discovered at last that the world holds for my soul nothing but trouble and affliction..."

And from Lord Nelson, on the anniversary of his birthday in the year 1801,
to his friend Lady Hamilton

"My dear: I count this day the happiest of my days, and that only because, since on it I first saw the light, it was the means of binding fast the ties of love and acquaintance between us."

And from Queen Victoria, in the year 1840,
to Prince Albert on the morning of her wedding

"How are you today, my dear? I hope you passed a peaceful night. As for me, I gave myself up to beloved slumber, and so I feel now completely rested... And what weather is this! May the rain leave off, my dearest bridegroom. Send me word when you will be ready."

From Walter Bagehot, in the year 1857,
to his fiancée Eliza Wilson

"Alas! Business has piled upon me these two days and kept me from writing to you, though it is the thing dearest to my soul. I hope this has not angered you, dearest to me of all people. Be assured that I shall not let an hour pass without writing to you what passes through my mind. And when love is like ours, I do not wonder at my desire to pour out my heart to you...

And how strong I feel whenever you promise me that your care for me will endure. For I love you... I love you, however unworthy of you I may be!"