Love Letter by Robert Browning to
Elizabeth Barret Browning
he following is a love letter I found in a book titled Love Letters:
An Anthology of Passion by Michelle Lovric. It is a really neat book with
facsimiles of real letters and quotations from lovers' correspondence
throughout the ages. If you are a romantic, you might want to check out a copy
of this book. I have tried to copy the letter to the best of my ability. I hope
you enjoy it.
January 10th, 1845
New Cross, Hatcham, Surrey
I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss
Barrett, -- and this is no off-hand complimentary letter that I shall write,
--whatever else, no prompt matter-of-course recognition of your genius and
there a graceful and natural end of the thing: since the day last week when I
first read your poems, I quite laugh to remember how I have been turning again
in my mind what I should be able to tell you of their effect upon me -- for in
the first flush of delight I though I would this once get out of my habit of
purely passive enjoyment, when I do really enjoy, and thoroughly justify my
admiration -- perhaps even, as a loyal fellow-craftsman should, try and find
fault and do you some little good to be proud of herafter! -- but nothing comes
of it all -- so into me has it gone, and part of me has it become, this great
living poetry of
yours, not a flower of which but took root and grew
... oh, how different that is from lying to be dried and pressed flat and
prized highly and put in a book with a proper account at bottom, and shut up
and put away ... and the book called a 'Flora', besides! After all, I need not
give up the thought of doing that, too, in time; because even now, talking with
whoever is worthy, I can give reason for my faith in one and another
excellence, the fresh strange music, the affluent language, the exquisite
pathos and true new brave thought -- but in this addressing myself to you,
your own self, and for the first time, my feeling rises altogher. I do, as I
say, love these Books with all my heart -- and I love you too: do you know I
was once seeing you? Mr. Kenyon said to me one morning "would you like to
see Miss Barrett?" -- then he went to announce me, -- then he returned ...
you were too unwell -- and now it is years ago -- and I feel as at some
untorward passage in my travels -- as if I had been close, so close, to some
world's-wonder in chapel on crypt, ... only a screen to push and I might have
entered -- but there was some slight ... so it now seems ... slight and just-sufficient
bar to admission, and the half-opened door shut, and I went home my thousands
of miles, and the sight was never to be!
Well, these Poems were to be -- and this true thankful
joy and pride with which I feel myself.
Yours ever faithfully
Robert Browning